NYU Steinhardt Comm Club

A Goodbye From our Co-Presidents

2010-05-10T11:46:00.001-04:00

Hey Comm Club!!

Thank you to everyone who participated and was involved with the club this year. Our events and meetings were only a success because of your involvement. During our four years at NYU we have seen the Comm Club evolve and grow, and we hope that it continues to do so! Being a part of the E-Board the last few years and serving as Co-Presidents this year have been great opportunities that helped shape our time at NYU and played significant roles in defining our college experiences. Thank you to all who worked with us on the Communications Club!!

We now pass the torch (pardon the NYU pun...we couldn't resist) to next years' Co-Presidents Natan Edelsburg and Sara Saldi. We can't wait to see all of the amazing plans they have for the club put into action.

Have a great summer everyone!

Caitlin Pirraglia and Felicia Shulman

What is Google Wave?

2010-03-29T12:20:00.013-04:00

Written by: Catherine Liu

I recently came across an article in Times Magazine about a new communication tool called Google Wave. It has yet to be fully released, and is therefore not too well known. Even those people that have heard of it oftentimes do not know exactly what it is. One way to become acquainted with Google Wave is to watch Google’s explanatory video filmed at the Google Wave Developer Preview I/O 2009 Event. However, if you don’t have the time and energy to watch an hour and twenty minute long video (who does?) here are the essentials of what is discussed so you can get an idea of what Google Wave is, what it is used for, and how to use it yourself.

What is it?

Google Wave is “a personal communication and collaboration tool” that is going to be “an open system of communication”. It builds on the idea of e-mail, but instead of treating the conversations as individual messages, an entire conversation is treated as a shared object hosted on a server. This means that users can enter a "Wave" and be able to see the original message, all of the replies, photos, documents, and anything and everything that has been said. To put in simply , a "Wave" is essentially a long email thread where everyone "replies to all" -- but instead of a cluttered and confusing email chain, it is all contained on one simple, easy server.

The Basics:
•Click "New Wave" to begin a new thread, and type a title in the first line.
•Once you finish typing your message, click "Done" and it will ask if you would like to add more users. This is when you choose who will receive the message and therefore have access to this "Wave".
•When you receive a message, you can reply to it by simply splitting apart the message and inserting your response directly in the part of the original that you want. It is sort of like editing the original message to add your own thoughts.
•When users happen to be on together, you could do a wave "IM". The difference between regular IM and the IM in Wave is that every character you type is transmitted as you type, even before you click done or enter to send your response. You can also choose to disable this function so no one sees what you are typing until you hit "Done". This is really cool, and is some sort of middle ground between chatting online and chatting in person.
•You can add a person to an ongoing conversation. (Usually with e-mail, the newest person to the conversation would not have access to the previous conversations/emails.) You would place that person into the Wave and they would have access to the conversation and the original message as well (to access the original message and previous edits or additions, click on "playback"). The new participant can now join the conversation with ease (very useful for group conversations).
•You use "Private Reply" when you don’t want all the participants to see the message you write. You may also add participants you do want to see the message by adding them to the private reply thread.

Pictures:
•To attach pictures, you simply drag them into the wave. You can upload and download pictures, create group photo albums, copy images from one Wave to another new one, etc.

Embedding
•You can embed the whole Wave onto a webpage - a cool feature that expands group viewing capabilities much further.

Extras:
•You can use Wave on mobile devices
•New Spell Checker: It doesn’t just find your word by matching it up with words in the dictionary…it takes into account the context of the word so it helps you find the word you need even faster! Sometimes it automatically corrects your errors!
•Gadgets and Games: Play games (like soduku, chess) with all the benefits of Wave's playback
•Translations: Wave translates your sentence automatically into your desired language. Currently there are 40 languages available and it will translate between any pair of languages you choose.

My first impression of Google Wave is quite positive. It is a new, more convenient way to communicate, combining already existing communication forms into one easy-to-use space. Wave allows for real time communication among large groups of people. It is a whole new way of sharing online.

For More Information:
wave.google.com
code.google.com/apis/wave
www.waveprotocol.org

Edited by: Sara Saldi

Campus MovieFest at NYU

2010-03-29T11:52:00.011-04:00

Comm Club is excited to finally be gearing up for the school-wide event, Campus MovieFest. 2010 marks the third year that Comm Club has sponsored the festival. Campus MovieFest is a program that provides students with HD Cameras and MacBook Pros (complete with editing software) completely free of charge, allowing hundreds of students to produce their films and compete against other NYU student filmmakers. Students borrow equipment for one week in order to complete a 5-minute short film on any topic or genre. This allows a chance to win recognition as well as prizes. Campus MovieFest's goal, as outlined on their website, is:

"To showcase the next generation of moviemakers and empower people everywhere to share their stories with the world a vision that has provided students the chance to learn skills that will be beneficial throughout their lives."

NYU's Top 16 films will be showcased at a red carpet Grand Finale on April 23 in Cantor. Winners then move on to a regional competition hosted at Lincoln Center, which will be part of the TriBeCa Film Festival this year!

For those of who want to participate, sign up on the website at http://wwww.campusmoviefest.com and come to Kimmel 905 on April 6th to start filming! CommClub is also looking for volunteer judges (as long as you're not competing, you can judge!) to watch student-films and eat pizza. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming CMF festivities!

Please contact us at nyucommclub@gmail.com with questions or to participate!

March Monthly Meeting!

2010-03-22T15:19:00.005-04:00

Hey Comm Club - welcome back from Spring Break, hope everyone had a fun and relaxing time!

Our Monthly Meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23rd at 7 pm. The meeting will NOT be in the MCC Department this month. Instead, we are meeting on the third floor of Pless Hall (82 Washington Square East).

FREE pizza from Artichoke will be served! We will be discussing upcoming events as well as opening up conversation about class schedules (due to upcoming fall registration). So get excited.

See you all on the third floor of Pless at 7pm tomorrow!

March 3rd: "Free"lancing? Panel

2010-02-26T18:49:00.005-05:00

Hey Comm Club. Just wanted to let you know that our friends over at Women in Communication are sponsoring a really cool panel with Career Services at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. See details below!

Women in Communication and Career Services at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute present...

"Free"lancing?

-Hear media professionals discuss pros and cons
-Find out when working for free be worthwhile
-Have your questions answered!

Just some of the panelists include:
Monica Leas, the assignment manager at TheGrio.com, a website started by NBC with an emphasis on the African American community and video stories.

Kevin Gray, a magazine writer who covers business, crime, politics and international affairs. He also writes about gender in America. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, including Conde Nast Portfolio, Details, The New York Times Magazine, New York and Newsweek. He is a former producer at CNN, where he covered business news.

Open to all students. Bring a friend. And as always, there will be FREE FOOD! Pizza AND cupcakes will be served!

Wednesday, March 3. 7:00pm-8:30pm. Kimmel 406

See you there!

February Monthly Meeting

2010-02-23T02:41:00.006-05:00

Hello Comm Club! Just wanted to remind everyone to come to our first general meeting of the spring semester. It is tonight, February 23rd at 7:00pm. We will be in the MCC Department (239 Greene Street on the 7th floor).

We are excited to see everyone and hear your ideas about events for the spring semester! We already have some amazing stuff planned including free studio tours, show tapings, movies, and more.

Special guest and former Comm Club President Aaron Azpiazu will be there talking about Campus Movie Fest, an exciting event taking place later on in the semester. You definitely don't want to miss hearing about it, it is a fantastic opportunity!

Looking forward to seeing you all! And as always, there will be FREE food provided!

Haiti: Events at NYU

2010-01-25T01:03:00.009-05:00

In light of the recent earthquake in Haiti, we want to bring everyone’s attention to events happening around campus to raise money to aid relief efforts, and also provide links to many relief organizations where you can help by donating money. It is important that we all do what we can to help those in need.

Here are some events on and around campus:

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010: Headshots for Haiti
12pm -8pm - Tisch School of the Arts - Riese Student Lounge
721 Broadway - Photo ID required upon entry. Walk-ins only.
Have your headshots taken by Photography & Imaging students. 100% of sales will benefit Haiti Relief Efforts
Visit Headshots for Haiti on Faceboook and Twitter.
Headshot prices:
NYU Students $60 color or black & white
NYU Student $80 color and black & white
NYU Alum $100 color and black & white
Outside NYU $150 color and black & white
Per Image, Touch Ups $40
Host: TSOA Department of Photography & Imaging and Student Affairs
For more information please contact Liz Andrews
at 212-998-1926 or liz.andrews@nyu.edu

Monday, January 25- Thursday, January 28: Hot Chocolate for Haiti
12:15pm-1:30pm - Tisch Hall Lobby of the Stern School
SternCares and Stern Student Council will be sponsoring "Hot Chocolate for Haiti" Cups of hot chocolate and snacks will be available for a donation in the lobby of Tisch Hall each day from 12:15-1:30. All proceeds will go to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
Host: SternCares and Stern Student Council
For more information please visit:
http://www.hotchocolateforhaiti.org or email stncares@stern.nyu.edu

Tuesday, January 26, 4:50pm: Vigil for Haiti
Gould Plaza - Front of Tisch Hall of the Stern School
West 4th Street at Greene Street
Please join us in marking the two-week anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. We will begin with a moment of silence, followed by candle-lighting and brief remarks from university leaders. The people of Haiti have suffered tremendously, so it is our hope to show our support as a student body and to remember the many victims of this disaster.
Host: Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life
For further information, please contact Rachel Slaff - rls421@nyu.edu

Tuesday, January 26 through Monday, February 1: Seven Days for Haiti
Join the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at NYU in raising as much money and awareness as we can during a week-long campaign for Haiti. Initiatives will include fund-raising, political action on behalf of the people of Haiti, and support for the local Haitian community. Donate whatever you can - be it time or money - and help the people of Haiti in their time of need. As more details and co-sponsors become available additional updates will be released.
Host: Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life
To get involved, please contact Rachel Slaff at rls421@nyu.edu

January 19 through January 29, 2010: Clothing and First Aid Supply Donation Box
Kimmel Center, 7th floor Lounge
Drop off gently worn clothing and unopened first aid supplies to drop boxes.
Items will be transported to Haiti via the Bedford Haitian Community Center and Helping Hands Bring Sunshine.
Host: Delta Phi Epsilon
Student Contact; Rachel Freiman, VP of Programming, DPHIE

January 20 through February 15, 2010: On-Line Initiative
Gallatin Student Council On-Line Fundraising Appeal For UNICEF in Haiti
Goal: $5,000 by February 15, 2010.
Gallatin Student Council has created a fundraising page for United States Fund for UNICEF in Haiti. UNICEF was chosen because of their commitment to providing help directly to children who are one of the most vulnerable groups after a natural disaster. After the cameras have left, UNICEF will continue their work there building schools, medical clinics and fostering education.
To make a donate or for more info about UNICEF in Haiti go to:
http:gallatinstudent.com/give
Host: Gallatin Student Council
We thank you in advance for your support, and if you have any questions or
would like to get involved, feel free to contact me at jeongkilim@gmail.com, or
Rick Stern at rick.stern@nyu.edu.

Sunday, January 24th at 3pm: Benefit Concert for Haiti
17 Smith Street, Brooklyn NY 11201
Grammy Award Winning Brookyln Tabernacle Gospel Choir
Hosted by: Christian Fellowship, NYU School of Medicine
Student Contact: ! Michelle Rullan, michelle.rullan@nyumc.org

Sunday, January 24, 2010: Horns for Haiti (Night of Dancing)
7pm to midnight
The Living Theatre, 21 Clinton Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Join the Hungry March Band, Raya Brass Band + More for a night of dancing in support of Haiti. Special Guest Performances by Mikerline Afro Haitian Dance + Drum Troupe, Peniel Guerrier + More. Special moment with Rev. Billy + the Life After Shopping Gospel Choir
$20 (or more please) All money to benefit Doctors Without Borders and the Haitian performers with family Haiti. Space is limited, come early.
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=263520911372&ref=nf

Some of the many organizations collecting money:

Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/

UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/

Doctors Without Borders
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

Partners in Health
http://www.pih.org/home.html

Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
http://clintonbushhaitifund.org/

Islamic Relief USA
www.IslamicReliefUSA.org

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
http://www.jdc.org/help-jdc/donate.aspx

American Jewish World Service
http://ajws.org/

Catholic Relief Services
http://crs.org/

Christian Relief Services
http://www.christianrelief.org/

In order to keep students and others informed, NYU has created a special NYU web site for disseminating information regarding the NYU community response to the Haiti Earthquake:
http://www.nyu.edu/about/haiti.response.html

Please help any way you can.

Welcome Back Comm Club!

2010-01-25T00:55:00.004-05:00

We hope you all had an excellent winter break and that you are looking forward to an even better Spring Semester! Comm Club has excellent events planned and we hope to see you all at our monthly meetings. Dates will be announced shortly! As always, make sure to keep an eye out for new blog posts and emails.

Also, if you are interested in getting more involved with Comm Club this semester, we are looking for two new E-Board members to be our USG Representatives at weekly Student Government meetings. If you are available on Tuesday’s from 12:30-1:45 and are interested in taking a more active role with the club, email nyucommclub@gmail.com for more information!

Here’s to a great semester!

Bi-Weekly Interview: Jim Ford

2009-12-14T23:26:00.006-05:00

Written by Natan Edelsburg
Edited by Sara Saldi

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jim Ford, talented actor and Chief Web Designer for NYU Steinhardt. Jim has played an essential role in helping the Comm Club begin to re-brand themselves this semester by helping us design a new website. He's also been helping out Steinhardt's Undergraduate Student Government by working with their new social media guru, freshman Jeremiah Malina. More importantly though, Jim was behind Steinhardt's phenomenal new web design, which if you haven't noticed, rolled out this semester. Here's a condensed and edited version of my interview.

How did you start your career as a web developer?

I majored in acting in college. I got my first job as an "HTML Monkey" making travel sites for destinations in the Caribbean.

When did you start working on Steinhardt's Website?

In 2000 the web team consisted of one person. We spent two and a half years building a site for the school. I then left Steinhardt for a bit and went to work for a company called Fractured Atlas, a non-profit that helped provide affordable healthcare for emerging artists, where I served as Director of Member Services. I then ended up coming back to NYU when a new position opened up.

When was the last time the site was redesigned?

We redesigned the site in 2007 when Steinhardt re-branded itself, changing its name to the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The problem with the original website was that the site was based more on the design and less on the userability. Using a trackpad with the site was horrible. However, we did introduce a great CMS (Content Management System), which allows departments and student organizations to easily create a page with their content.

What are some of the cool features of the new redesign?

When designing the site we used the mega drop-downs with a limitless options-style designed by expert usability consultant Jakob Nielsen. It lets users click where they want to go as quickly as possible. We also have a great video portal with interviews and lectures. Lastly, we launched our News Portal that features new blogs and happenings around Steinhardt.

Many students prefer to use Gmail as supposed to NYU's Messenger and other intranet features. Do you have any insights why NYU hasn't gone Google?

I'm not positive but it probably has to do with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) that protects academic records. NYU may not want to give Google access to student's private communication with professors and other students. Another concern may be that they don’t want to sell their student’s attention to Google. It’s true that Google is pretty good about ads with their academic suites, but it could still be a potential issue.

MadCupMenCakes

2009-12-10T00:20:00.003-05:00

Hey Comm Club! We wanted to wish everyone good luck on finals and invite you to our final event of the semester: MadCupMenCakes! It is happening today, Thursday December 10th, in Room 803 of Kimmel at 8:30pm.

The event is very chill and will allow all of us to take a break from Bobst. We are going to watch the Emmy award winning show "MadMen" and eat cupcakes of various brands to take a break from the madness that is finals.

Hope to see you all there! As always, if you have any questions, please contact us at nyucommclub@gmail.com

Thanks!

Sincerely,
The Comm Club EBoard

November Monthly Meeting Update

2009-12-01T23:35:00.008-05:00

Written by Sara Saldi
Edited by Felicia Shulman

At our last Comm Club meeting on Wednesday November 18th, we had the pleasure of hosting Isaac Josephson, the director of product development at ABC News.

Before delving into the field of journalism, Mr. Josephson ran the music division of The NPD Group, where he helped global music companies, retailers, and internet companies develop digital music business strategies. Prior to that, he served as product manager at Listen.com for the launch of the Rhapsody digital music subscription service, and senior producer at Tunes.com where he managed the online presence of websites like Rollingstone.com and Downbeat.com.

In 1994, Isaac co-founded Centerstage Chicago, the first online guide to local entertainment. It was subsequently acquired by the Chicago Sun Times. Isaac began his career with the Tribune Company where he was responsible for developing the corporate online presence and participated in the launch of Chicagotribune.com.

Isaac received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and is presently enrolled in NYU Steinhardt’s Master’s program in Media, Culture and Communications.

At our meeting, he spoke a lot about the evolution of the media industries. He began in the music business, a field that since the invention of the internet has undergone a 180 degree flip due to sites such as Napster.com. Now he is in the field of journalism, which is changing dramatically due to the internet as well. He shared with us how drastically the news business is changing as sites like Facebook and Twitter continue to become more popular destinations for news consumption.

His biggest piece of advice for students looking for jobs in the communications fields is to make connections through networking, and make sure that your resume is perfect before you send it out!

Other club business discussed at the meeting included the MadCupMenCakes Event, where we will be watching the hit TV show Mad Men and eating delicious cupcakes. MadCupMenCakes is on December 10th at 8:30pm in Kimmel Room 803. It will be a very relaxed event where we can all unwind and take a break from finals studying!

Social Media Society’s Twitter 101 Session

2009-11-30T16:33:00.005-05:00

The Social Media Society's first Twitter 101 course took place on Thursday, November 19th, and presented a wealth of information about Twitter, the ever-popular social microblogging platform. The course’s attendees ranged from small business owners to Newsweek employees. The workshop included the basics of Twitter, but focused mainly on the how Twitter can help businesses to connect with their customers and advertise their products. Below are a few case studies that were analyzed during the session:

In March of 2009, Skittles changed its homepage into a live Twitter feed of tweets containing the word “Skittles.” This brave experiment created a lot of publicity for Skittles. However, after two days the site became flooded with negative tweets and had to be taken down. What Skittles lacked, however, was an effort to reach out and engage their customers. You can still see a modified Skittles Twitter feed here

The Ford Fiesta Brand Ambassador Program is another example of Twitter being used by a business. Instead of using cliché auto commercials, Ford has chosen 100 Brand Ambassadors to promote their new car, the Fiesta, through Twitter. The Brand Ambassador’s job is to highlight their experiences with the Fiesta by posting pictures and videos on Twitter and adding in their own perspective as they complete “missions” given by the website. It’s a neat idea where you aren’t being sold a product through traditional advertising. Instead you’re engaging with it socially.

Best Buy is utilizing Twitter as a customer service outlet. Their main twitter page @bestbuy tweets about news while @twelpforce displays many different employees directly addressing customers who are seeking help in real time. This is definitely an effective way to demonstrate a company’s commitment to customer service.

The important thing to keep in mind here is that there is no proven way to use Twitter to market a brand. Twitter is still in a growth stage and brands are experimenting with Twitter to find what works best for them. With that said, the workshop provided us with a lot of tools to measure the traffic of your Twitter. Here’s a few:

Search.twitter.com offers a standard search API to allow you to search key words, also with advanced options.
Tweetbeep.com will search and notify you whenever anyone tweets a specific keyword
Twitalyzer.com is a tool that measures and analyzes your brand’s impact on twitter

Special thanks to Persia Tatar, Founder, Social Media Society and Benjamin Weisman, Vice President, Creative Director, MRM Worldwide – Princeton for leading the course and inviting us.

Written by Jeremiah Malina

Edited by Sara Saldi

Bi-Weekly Interview: Professor Jay Rubin

2009-11-23T22:36:00.008-05:00

Paper after paper, college teaches us how to write. But out in the real world, how you deliver your pitch is almost more important than how you write it. Here with some expert advice on giving a successful presentation is one of my Stern communications professors, Professor Jay Rubin. Professor Rubin currently teaches Organizational Communication, an undergraduate management communications course at the Stern School of Business, and Public Relations Writing, a graduate course at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He splits his time between the NYU classroom and his consulting firm, Jay Rubin & Associates. Over the years, his clients have been in the media and communication business, such as ABC, CNBC and Scholastic.

What are some basic techniques everyone should master when presenting?

The first thing is to realize that very few people are "natural" presenters, and you have to practice -- and keep practicing -- your content and delivery skills. If you're disciplined enough to put in the time, you'll usually be fine. Most often, the individual or the team making the presentation is far more critical about the performance than the audience. When developing your strategy and content, always apply the watchwords that go all the way back to Aristotle and remain timely as ever: ethos (credibility), logos (logic) and pathos (emotional appeal).

What makes an effective introduction?

You have to grab the audience's attention, preview what's ahead, and make sure your audience knows WIIFM (what's in it for me).

What are some misconceptions about visual aids? How do we create effective visuals?

Visual aids are intended to help the presenter do his or her job, not take it over. That's why simpler is usually better. Unless you're intentionally giving a highly technical or numbers-heavy presentation, a visual should be able to tell its story in a couple of quick seconds so focus can immediately return to the presenter.

What to do when you draw a blank?

Always keep smiling (unless you're dealing with an especially somber event, which isn't often the case). The audience generally takes its cues from the presenter. If you appear confident enough as a presenter to accept a momentary lapse, the audience will usually be forgiving. However, if you show you're squirming, the audience is more likely to remember those unfortunate moments because you've made them uncomfortable watching you.

Who is the best presenter out there today?

There's a lot of great presenters out there. But the one who comes quickest to mind is Steve Jobs. He has natural charisma and is a master at blending both WIIFM features (e.g. here's the latest innovation) and benefits (e.g. here's why it's so cool).

What was your most memorable presentation? What did you learn from it?

Years ago, when I was fresh out of college and starting my career, I attended a journalism seminar sponsored by The Washington Post. Some of the country's most respected reporters were there. The journalists were asked tough questions, and their answers were sometimes surprising and controversial. But no one doubted their credibility. It was a great lesson about how the impact of any message depends on who's delivering it.

What’s the best advice you've received on how to give a presentation?

Practice and be your best self. Don't just try to mimic someone else's style; find your own.

Written by Jessica Ye

Edited by Sara Saldi

My Experience at Bernaise Source’s PR Camp – Go Red Team!

2009-11-23T11:18:00.021-05:00

Written by Natan Edelsburg, Communications Club Vice President

Thanks to Danielle Culmone, a former supervisor from Quinn & Co. Public Relations I was invited by Bernaise Source’s principal, Dan Greenfield to be a “Gen-Yer” for PR Camp’s “Talking About the ‘Y’ Generation,” session. When I first read about PR Camp and how it was going to be an “unconference” fueled by a camp-like, marshmallows and bonfire atmosphere I had a social media wet dream. My fondest memories are from my ten consecutive summers being a camper and then counselor at Camp Young Judaea in New Hampshire. Click here for one of my favorite social media blog posts, by David Berkowitz (from MediaPost’s Social Media Insider) describing how being a camp counselor prepares you for social marketing.

I had the pleasure of meeting some extremely impressive professionals throughout the day. Separating into teams (go red team!) really gave us the chance to get to know each other as we discussed, ROI, Gen-Y and new versus old agencies relating to PR and social media. During each session (especially Howard Greenstein’s “Delivering Strategies for Effective ROI”), different ways of using metrics to show results from social media campaigns were brought up. After I got home from PR Camp I was extremely excited to study the conversations that took place during the day. I typed in the official hashtag, “#prcamp,” and copy and pasted the ten-plus pages of tweets just from Friday, into Wordle, the word cloud creator. After removing most of the clutter from my “copy and paste” here is what Wordle designed:

For those unfamiliar with word/tag clouds and Wordle, you can simply copy and paste text into their form and it will show you what words/terms were most prevalent by designing a “beautiful” and customized cloud of words. This word cloud taught me some cool facts about PR Camp – some obvious, some not at all. Here are my top-5:

1. PR Camp, Social Media and Twitter were the biggest most prevalent words, which makes sense since each tweet I copy and pasted contained PR Camp. Also, it’s no surprise that the topics that were most discussed were Social Media and Twitter (plus I probably should have deleted Twitter from the word cloud but couldn’t bring myself to).

2. Ishkahbibel (Donald Schwartz, Imagelink Productions), @Journalistics (a blog about journalism and PR), @MattHurst (Communications Professional and Social Media Savant), and @TonyBerkman (Serial Entreprenuer) appeared to have tweeted the most, simply because their names were most prevalent.

3. UberTwitter has a big shout-out in the cloud leading me to assume that most people (including myself) were tweeting from Uber.

4.Not surprisingly, the word “porn” is pretty noticeable. For everyone who was at PR Camp or watching the conversation we all know it is in reference to JetBlue’s Morgan Johnston’s comment that when he showed TweetDeck to an exec at JetBlue, he exclaimed that it was like “marketing porn.”

5. Smaller, but still noticeable – the word “mobile” dictates the importance of how technology is moving more to our fingertips and less to our desktops – this subject was brought up several times during the Red Team’s discussions.

While my word cloud is far from perfect, it gave me a fun and pretty way to put into context the #prcamp conversations and everything I had taken in from a very fun day at camp. I’ve been waiting for a good excuse to create my first list on Twitter. I created one for the red team in the hope that we could all stay connected and continue to converse. I added everyone I could think of but am obviously still missing people. Here’s a link to the list on Listiorious.com where you can recommend anyone to the list that I left off.

Edited by Sara Saldi

Dean’s Roundtable with Adina Pitt

2009-11-23T10:43:00.012-05:00

Thanks to the Dean’s Roundtable I had the chance to hear Adina Pitt, a Steinhardt alumna, speak about her career in television and her position as a VP at Cartoon Network and Boomerang (and, as an extra bonus, they had some great cookies there, too). Ms. Pitt is the VP of Content Acquisitions & Co-Productions and Cartoon Network & Boomerang. She spoke with a diverse group of undergrad and post-grad students who wanted to hear all about the television industry and what steps she took in her career path to get to where she was. I walked away from the roundtable with a lot more knowledge about children’s cable television and how concepts and ideas are now traded globally. Here are the top-five things I took away:

The most valuable lesson I learned from Ms. Pitt was how she moved her career forward by essentially creating her own job. When she was an assistant and contracts would pass through her desk she made sure to read and study each one. When her superiors would get ready to go on business trips in markets around the world she would prepare spec sheets of projects to check out.
Ms. Pitt was describing to us how the simplest of pitches are the ones that Cartoon Network decides to invest in. The funniest one she mentioned was “a babysitter who happens to be a vampire.” Right after she heard those words, she was sold. The comeback of the vampire continues!
She reminded us that “kids are really simple,” they “feel like adults,” but don’t think like them. They want “mindless fun,” which is what you need to think about when you are developing programming for children.
“Kids love commercials” – This was a cool and really interesting point she made. She told us that when she offers to fast-forward commercials with her own children they usually tell her not to because they love the commercials. I wonder if this will change as kids start using computers at younger ages.
If you are trying to create a concept for a children’s show make sure you’re thinking about your story in 52, 11 minute parts. Cartoon Network mostly needs 26, 22-minute episodes with two 11-minute stories in each (I think we can all vaguely remember that format from our Rugrats days).

Written by Natan Edelsburg

Edited by Sara Saldi

Our New Layout!

2009-11-23T10:18:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone, hope you like our new blog layout. Our old layout was a standard Blogger template that was a bit too bland for our taste – we wanted something more readable and aesthetically pleasing. We’re hoping to switch to WordPress for the spring semester, but for now we are still here. Special thanks to Jeremiah Malina who helped us with the new blog design. If you have any comments about how it looks let us know at nyucommclub@gmail.com

Jeremiah Malina is a freshman Media, Culture, & Communication major. He is also the Social Media Chairperson for Steinhardt’s Undergraduate Student Government. Feel free to tweet your comments @JJmalina and check out the Steinhardt USG blog at www.nyusteinhardtusg.blogspot.com

Written by Jeremiah Malina

Edited by Sara Saldi

Social Media Society’s Facebook 101 Session

2009-11-17T00:28:00.006-05:00

Social Media Society’s first course took place Wednesday, November 11^th at the Yale Club, and Comm Club was really happy to be able to attend. We were able to learn how professionals in the advertising/marketing/communications industry were using Facebook to connect customers to their brands and provide a fun and interactive way to create conversations between them. Here are some of the key takeaways we learned that we thought most college-age Facebook users would not be aware of:

Have a plan – whether your creating a group or fan page for your student organization think about maximizing your fans engagement by creating a content calendar when you know how often you’ll post and update and what it will be about.

Utilize FBML to customize your fan page - FBML is Facebook’s simple HTML like code that lets you bold, link, tag and add video/pictures to the page layout. It’s very easy to learn and will make a big difference in what your page looks like

Use custom tabs – These will allow you to add content specific to what works for your club or organization.

Ads – Facebook ads are becoming more and more popular. When you create your next event for your student club, notice that there is an option to click “Promote This Event.” You can easily spend a small amount of money to have an ad for your event appear on user’s pages based on age, location and even university.

Special thanks to Persia Tatar, Founder, Social Media Society and Benjamin Weisman, Vice President, Creative Director, MRM Worldwide – Princeton for leading the course and inviting Comm Club to be a part of it.

Twitter 101 is this Thursday and student tickets are only $25!

http://socialmediasocietytwitter.eventbrite.com/

Interested in learning more about the Social Media Society? Email us at nyucommclub@gmail.com

Written by Natan Edelsburg

Edited by Sara Saldi

Comm Club's Graduate School Panel

2009-11-16T20:41:00.009-05:00

Last Wednesday, November 11, Comm Club hosted a panel at Kimmel featuring graduate students in NYU's Media, Culture, and Communication department.

The panelists:

Yue Li
Caitlin Jean Hamilton
Elisa Verna
Isabel Restrepo
Jan Gasparic

For anyone who might be interested in pursuing graduate study, here are some of the most helpful tips we learned from the panelists at this event:

When asked what pushed them to go to graduate school, many said they enjoyed school and "missed thinking." Others said they knew graduate school would be helpful in a job search. The panelists stressed that the degrees they were perusing at NYU were theory based, not practical. Therefore, their degrees will be helpful for more academic careers. If you're interested in a more corporate job such as public relations or advertising you might find internships more useful than graduate school.

Juggling a job and school might be hard for some, but most of our panelists said that having a job actually helped them with time management. They found the strict schedule that a job provides helpful in organizing their lives and school work. They did say, however, that it may be a good idea to wait until you settle in to graduate school before getting a job.

Some of our panelists came from smaller undergraduate schools in rural and suburban areas. We were curious whether moving to New York City for graduate school was hard for them. Many said that they found living in the big city quite a shock. New York may have a lot to offer but, as a graduate student, you may not find enough time to experience it all. Make sure to keep in mind the town, city, and country you in which attend school play a huge role in your graduate experience. Remember, there won’t be any freshman organizations or peer advisors to usher you through this time around.

It might be a good idea to take a year off after graduating before going to graduate school. There is nothing worse than being stuck in school again if you didn't like it much in the first place. You also might find something out there in the real world that interests you--something you never saw in the confines of the university. You might even find that having a real job isn't as bad as you thought. You could find you like it. Not all 9-5's are the 9-5 you had summer of sophomore year. You might consider traveling, working a little, living a little, getting a little money, and expanding your horizons. It might make you a better grad student!

If you decide you do want to go to graduate school, make sure you're studying something that interests you. Don't get a degree because you think it's the natural progression of things. There is a lot of work involved in grad school so don't read more Marshall McLuhan for another two years unless you can really commit to it. And when we say a lot of work we mean A LOT OF WORK.

Don't focus on rank. It's more important to make sure you enjoy your program than to be in the top 10. Not all masters programs in communications are the same, so study them carefully.

If you’re interested in learning more about graduate school and have any questions, contact us at nyucommclub@gmail.com

Written Lynn Burke

Edited by Sara Saldi

Bi-Weekly Interview: James Polulach

2009-11-10T01:16:00.007-05:00

James Polulach is a relationship manager for Kaplan, the well-know test prep company that has “helped millions of students achieve their educational and career goals.” James has become a good friend and partner of the Communications Club, helping to sponsor events and provide us with test-prep course giveaways. We sat down with James to discuss how he’s built relationships with students and clubs across NYU and how Kaplan has created unique and custom sponsorship programs at universities. The interview has been edited and condensed.

How did you gain the position of relationship manager at Kaplan?

I play football (the Australian kind) and one of the people I played with worked for Kaplan. He recommended me for a position in Brooklyn that I didn’t end up getting. Then the position to work with universities in Manhattan came up and I got it. I’ve been with Kaplan for about 2.5-3 years.

What schools do you work with?

NYU, Columbia and Yeshiva

What different kinds of student clubs at NYU have you worked with?

All different kinds. Pre-professional, cultural, ethnic. I’ve found great ways to work with all different kinds of clubs.

Which clubs have you built the best relationships with (besides Comm Club of course)?

I’ve worked very closely with AMSA (The American Medical Student Association) and Beta Alpha Psi (the business fraternity). Those organizations naturally have many students who are interested in graduate school and test preparation. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with clubs like Psychology and Applied Psychology (another Steinhardt club).

What’s the ROI (return on investment) that you see from your partnerships with student organizations?

Helping host events is a great way to tap into our market and also help each club get their point-of-view across and showcase their club. Kaplan created the industry so I’m not necessarily worried about direct ROI but continuing to invest in our brand by helping other clubs.

What are the best forms of communication that worked with reaching out to clubs?

Email campaigns are definitely the best. Making sure that people are sending out emails, reaching out via Facebook, and updating their members about upcoming events is really important.

What events does Kaplan have coming up?

We will start running more events again in the spring, when it’s not cold out. There will be large practice tests for clubs and we will be working with Wasserman for some events. There will be a big pre-law event in April.

What’s going in Kaplan’s corporate world?

On a corporate level we’ve acquired other test companies that have similar preparation styles and that work well with the Kaplan brand. We’re always making sure Kaplan’s messages are being communicated effectively and that we continue to run events and build relationships with students.

You can follow Kaplan on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/KTPA_Careers

Edited by Sara Saldi

MC’s Weekly Top 10 Media List

2009-10-29T23:35:00.011-04:00

Hello, fabulous readers, and welcome to the first installment of a new weekly feature in the NYU Comm Club Blog where I, irreverent cultural commentator that I am, give you the 10 most notable media events that happened this week .Let’s get started!

10. A family portrait of the Obamas taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz has hit the internet. The picture is cute and everything, but when I heard Annie was taking the photo, I was both confused and mystified at what it might look like. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be going for the Miley Cyrus “sheet wrapped around naked back” imagery. Sasha and Malia are too classy for that. But instead, it’s just a typical family portrait. Oh, and where is Bo? Maybe he urinated on Annie’s digital equipment and was kicked out or something. Anyway, take a look for yourself:

9. Everyone start protesting now- the popular website Hulu.com, which allows visitors to watch recent episodes of popular TV shows, has announced it will start charging in the near future. That’s like having to start paying to listen to the radio! Most likely, the site doesn’t make enough money just off the advertisements shown throughout the episodes. I don’t care. Make the advertisements longer, do whatever you have to. Paying actual money to watch something I could watch on TV for free, such as Courtney Cox’s latest antics on “Cougar Town” goes against my basic moral principles.

8. Some bright person decided to start a rumor that Kanye West died, and it turned into a trending topic on Twitter. Some people actually believed it. Why? Because earlier in the week, Kanye premiered a video on his site where he is graphically murdered. And they say those who insist Americans can’t tell fantasized violence apart from reality are crazy. But I digress. I’m sure ‘Ye was thrilled with the free publicity. In fact, it actually wouldn’t surprise me if he started the rumor itself. You know he couldn’t stand Balloon Boy stealing his spotlight. This displays yet another example of the wide influence of Twitter, as the social networking site becomes a place where actual news breaks out.

7. Lil’ Wayne pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a gun here in New York on Thursday. Why this is news, I’m not sure. He will be sentenced in court in February and could serve up to a year in prison. Watch for his sales and critical acclaim to spike notably in the coming months. We all know the media loves when celebrities act up. About a year ago, rapper T.I. was also found guilty of criminal possession and sentenced to prison. But not before racking up #1 hits and Grammy nominations. Anyway, I don’t really see what the big deal is about this. When I see Weezy, I expect him to be packing heat the way I expect an old lady to have packets of contraband restaurant ketchup.

6. This is certainly convenient- Google has announced that they are adding a “music search” feature to their site soon. You’ll be able to type in a song or artist name and instantly get links to purchase or stream music. I’m not yet sure how this is all that different from going to Google’s main page and just searching the name of the song you want followed by “mp3”, but the new design of the word “Google” (featuring a shiny musical note instead of the two “o”s) looks cool, and maybe that’s what’s most important after all.

5. Everyone set your TiVos and DVRs immediately, because on November 16 at precisely 4 p.m. on ABC, Oprah’s talk show will be graced by none other than Sarah Palin. She will be promoting her memoir, “Going Rogue”, or as I would have named it, “Going Off-TelePrompTer”. Anyway, this is shocking news since Palin has rejected offers to be on the show in the past, most likely because Oprah basically picked McCain’s opponent as our president. What Oprah (Gayle, Stedman, African school for girls) and Palin (moose) have in common, I’m not sure, but this will surely be an event.''

4. NBC’s decision to give Jay Leno his own talk show every night at 10 p.m. seems to be having some negative, yet predicted, consequences. Due to Leno’s lack of popularity and competition from other network's shows, viewers are dropping off of NBC before the 11 pm news comes on (which is not great for the affiliates). Leno’s show also takes away time slots where other shows could have had a chance to prosper. Perhaps some of NBC’s promising new shows would not have been cancelled if they were given the opportunity to score better ratings in a later time slot. For instance, "Southland" might have fared better as a 10 p.m. drama. None of this is great news for the network. However, I don't think Leno or his chin are going anywhere anytime soon.

3. In an interesting political-media development, the Obama administration has called war on conservative Fox News. A quick Google search reveals many opinions on both sides of the war, with some publications praising Obama for going after the network, and others cautioning against it. This news came as a surprise to me as I suppose I always thought there was a tacit understanding between politically skewed networks and the administrations in power. The incident all started when Obama appeared on all the major networks, except Fox News, to talk about health care in response to some comments made by FN commentators Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity. Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace called the administration "crybabies" in response to the incident. The fighting's been on ever since.

2. For the past six months, the media has been consistently and annoyingly reporting on the drama surrounding Jon, Kate, and their 8 paychecks, I mean children. Here’s the latest update in case you care- Jon is trying to get on another reality show. Shocker. When I saw that headline, my mind jumped to the obvious choice- “The Biggest Loser”. But it turns out he wants to be on a CBS show such as “Survivor”. The only way this would work is if you stuck Jon on an island and had that evil-looking possum thing that lives on Kate’s head chase him around for a month. I would be a faithful viewer to that one. Of course, it's debatable if another network would want to take a chance on Jon given that he was recently sued by TLC for violating his contract. (Jon claims he decided he didn't want his children around the cameras anymore). I have a feeling his desire for a new show is a result of the fact that, given that Kate is now raising the children while Jon picks up 22-year-olds and hangs out with Michael Lohan, the old show will be much less focused on his wonderful presence. Also, Jon was recently court-ordered to return the money he ~~stole~~ borrowed from his and Kate’s joint account- to buy more flashy, cubic-zirconium earrings, no doubt.

1. Speaking of events making me lose my faith in humanity, we have now arrived at this list’s #1...Balloon Boy. Last week, when it was discovered that a boy had apparently flown away in a hot air balloon, the public watched spellbound as authorities searched for him. Turns out he never left the ground- the little boy was hiding in the attic the whole time. The father, Richard Heene, called the media before the cops when his son “went missing”. There has been a general consensus that the media greatly overreacted to this incident; for a while, it was certainly the most repeatedly covered story on all news outlets. This feeling of irritation has certainly only increased with reports that the whole thing was a set up and the father is seeking his own reality TV show. Recently, the mother herself admitted it was a big hoax. So, that leaves the father as the only delusional maniac left still claiming it really happened. With any luck, either the police department sues him for every penny he’s worth, or we send him up in a hot air balloon headed for Mars. I’m done.

Michael Cavarretta is a freshman in the Communication department and a new writer to the blog. Feel free to email him at mwcavarretta@gmail.com with any comments, praises, or criticisms about this week’s post. Actually, forget about that last one. You can just keep those thoughts to yourself.

Written by Michael Cavarretta, Edited by Sara Saldi

October 30th MCC Graduate Conference Open to All Students

2009-10-28T00:00:00.009-04:00

Hey Comm Club!

The MCC department's graduate conference is occurring on October 30. It is an open event for any student interested in attending! There will be a number of informative panels with topics that include media activism, vision and sound as a commodity, and the politics of memory. Think you might be interested in attending? Want to find out more information about the day's events, panelists, etc.? Check out the schedule below:

Event Time:
Friday, October 30, 2009
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Location:
Helen Mills Theater
137 West 26th Street

Schedule:
9:00 Doors open & Coffee served

9:15 Welcome
* Marita Sturken, Chair
* Rod Benson, Director of Graduate Studies

9:30 Panel I – Vision, Sound and/as Commodity
* Jamie Berthe, “Deconstructing Tarzan or Reconstructing Racial Hierarchies?”
* Melissa De Witte, “Memory and the Spectacle: Phantom and fantasy in a new economy of the image”
* Jennifer Heuson, “Soundscapes of the Black Hills: An acoustemology of the American West”
* Faculty moderator: Martin Scherzinger

11:00 Panel II – Politics of Memory
* Lisa Gitelman, "Daniel Ellsberg and the lost idea of the photocopy"
* Hatim El-Hibri, “Sectarianism, Maps and Beirut: From the French Mandate through the end of the civil war (1920-1991)”
* Christine Weible, “How the creation of museums and memorials at the site of the ex-ESMA is impacting collective memory of the Dirty War in Argentina”
* Scott Selberg, "Cognitive Fever: Remembering Alzheimer's at the National Library of Medicine"
* Faculty moderator: Nicholas Mirzoeff

12:45 Lunch served

1:30 Brian Larkin, Anthropology, Barnard College, Columbia University, “The Mobility of Images and the Ethnography of Value: Cinema in Nigeria”

2:45 Break

3:00 Panel III – Media Activism
* Victor Pickard, "Crises and Opportunities in the Ongoing Struggle for Public Service Media"
* Evan Brody, “(De)scribing Disease: Capitalist HIV imagery and cultural memory”
* Dwaipayan Banerjee, “Media Activism in its Local Place: Lessons from Bhopal”
* Marco Deseriis, “The Faker as Producer: Politics of fabrication and the three orders of the fake”
* Faculty moderator: Allen Feldman

4:45 Reception & Drinks served

If you have any further questions, please contact us at nyucommclub@gmail.com

Compiled by Caitlin Pirraglia, Edited by Sara Saldi

Comm Club and WIC Host Professional PR Panel

2009-10-26T09:05:00.005-04:00

This past Wednesday (Oct. 21), Comm Club and the Women in Communications Club had the pleasure of co-hosting a professional public relations panel at Kimmel. We really had a phenomenal turnout and we hope that everyone got as much out of the event as we did. We heard from professionals across a wide range of industries and were really able to get a great sense of what it takes to make it in PR. Also, Quinn & Co., one of the firms that participated, covered us in their blog!

Update: Here's a short, clip from the panel. Enjoy!

The panelists:

· Katie Elliott, Account Supervisor, Travel and Digital Media Specialist, Quinn & Co.

· Emily Franklin, Digital Media/Senior Account Executive, Real Estate, Quinn & Co.

· Danielle Culmone, Digital Media/Account Supervisor, Real Estate, Quinn & Co.

· Jenna Hudson, Executive Assistant to the President, FerenComm

· Kate Brennan, Junior Publicist/Assistant to the SVP, FerenComm

· Claire Coveney, Content Manager, Perks Consulting

· Maureen Haley, Account Executive, Development Counsellors International

A small selection of the most informative and helpful Q&A:

What advice do you have for securing a job/internship in PR?

With the economy, you have to remember that although a job may be hard to find, an internship can turn into a four-month interview where you will have the chance to prove how valuable you are to the team

Remember to write thoughtful thank you cards after an interview. This will really make you stand out since you went out of your way to handwrite something personal and snail mail it.

Stay busy at your internship. Your supervisors will notice if you are slacking or not putting in 100% effort.

Go to as many networking events as possible. Meet people. Research different firms. Most importantly make sure you enjoy what you are doing!

What are the best and worst parts about working in PR?

Best: Communicating well is not easy for everyone. Helping clients by formulating effective communications message so they can promote their brand is extremely rewarding. Also, working with clients that reach across national markets is very exciting.

Worst: Pitching to journalists can be very hard. Some of them are mean and some of them will never call you back. It’s also always very difficult to leave your work at work. PR professionals are extremely busy and managing your time effectively often becomes the hardest part of the job.

How has social/digital media changed the way PR works?

There are so many different channels available now to communicate client’s messages. This can especially become harder to manage when people within the PR agency are new at using the tools. Communications agencies across the spectrum are now getting up to speed within their own structures and for the client work they produce.

The fact is that although there are all these new channels your goals are still the same – to effectively communicate and drive results for the client. The more channels the better but you always need to remember that the same diligence is needed in every execution.

If you’re interested in learning about any of the internship programs at the panfirms, please don’t hesitate to let us know! nyucommclub@gmail.com

Compiled by Natan Edelsburg, Edited by Sara Saldi

Bi-Weekly Interview: Mushon Zer-Aviv, Designer, Teacher and Media Activist

2009-10-19T21:49:00.011-04:00

Mushon Zer-Aviv is a designer, teacher and media activist from Tel-Aviv. He teaches new media research at New York University and open-source design at Parsons The New School for Design. Mushon's work explores media i n public space and public space in media. He is the co-founder of ShiftSpace.org, an open-source brow ser plug-in for annotating the web. His other ventures include Shual.com, a foxy design studio, and Kriegspiel, a computer game based on Guy Debord’s Game of War. Mushon is also an honorary resident at Eyebeam, the New York based art and technology center.

Comm Club’s Lynn Burke sat down with Mushon Zer-Aviv so that we could all learn more about him, his work, and open source:

I suppose a good a question to start with is a basic one. So, what exactly is open source?

Open source is a production method for software-based projects. The heart of it is that the information is openly available and collaborated on. When people are sharing their music under creative commons sites, that doesn't make it open source. But if they made a platform that would allow them to collaborate on it, that’s closer to the realm of open source.

Open source platforms seem beneficial to everyone. Do you think it's ever going to catch on?

It has already caught on. Most of the technology we use online is open source. You're already using it. Most website servers are running on Linux and Apache, which are open source technologies.You don't know about it because you don't necessarilyneed to know about it. But, we wouldn't have had the web and the culture that we have today if it wasn't for open source. If you're editing or using Wikipedia, you're directly affected by open source.

What are the similarities and differences between ShiftSpace and Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is has two aspects of open source: 1. It's open sourcing the creation of knowledge by having an interface of collaboration on that knowledge and 2. The software Wikipedia is using is open source software.

What we're doing with ShiftSpace is different because even though it's true that people can come and edit content, we're more interested in people coming in and deciding what interfaces to use on the sites that they're browsing.

It's not about content as much as it is about the interface. Even in the case of Wikipedia, the content is widely constructed through interface. So, we admire the Wikipedia project and the question that it's asking. We're just asking different questions. Even before we question content, we have to question interface.

How is ShiftSpace funded?

First of all you're assuming we are funded. A lot of the development around open source and ShiftSpace is not funded. In the past year we've been introduced to MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art). They were in the process of a site redesign and saw our work. They were looking for some sort of social media vendor and asked us if we could do stuff for their website.

So we looked at our code and saw that we didn't just create a plug-in environment, we also created a social application platform. We can use that technology to create other interfaces, and not necessarily just a plug-in.

That's the kind of business model that we hope to explore. We are still working with MoMA and are on phase two of the interface, which should be live soon. We're just fixing a few more bugs.

What kind of role do you think the internet and digital media has played on art and what kind of role do you think the internet is going to play in the future of traditional art?

I think the questions we are interested in don't really revolve around art; instead, they revolve around the wider perspective of culture. In the case of MoMA, what's interesting is the idea of sharing intellectual property. MoMA is a great museum and we enjoy working with them. On the other hand though, it has a very bureaucratic system. They have a legal department that makes sure every piece of art in the collection has specific licensing. Therefore, there's only so much you can do with an image on the Internet.

For instance, MoMA came to us wanting to have a Facebook feature, which we are now working on. But the issue is that due to licensing, art pieces are only legally allowed to be shown on MoMA’s website. Art pieces are not even allowed to be shown as thumbnails on Facebook, as that would be an infringement of the intellectual property of the artist. When you're putting art (or anything that has strong intellectual property issues) online, you're bound to run into these questions.

Our work, especially when it's focused on social media, is really challenging the way MoMA and other places like it are thinking about what and how things can be shared.

What advice can you give students looking at careers in web design or new media?

Install Firefox. That's the number one tip I can give to anyone looking to do Web stuff. Basically, what's exciting about a lot of web technology is that it is open. Whatever you are looking at on your web browser, you can inspect and learn how to do.

I am teaching a class called Open Source Design at Parsons. At the beginning of the semester I tell my students we are doing to learn HTML, CSS, WordPress, and much more. But the catch is, I'm not going to teach you. And it’s not just that I won't be teaching them, it's that I don't even know it!

We learn it together because we have all of the tools to do so from the web itself. If you have the patience, you can teach yourself all about technology. That is the one truly revolutionary thing about the Web: everyone can learn.

Edited by Sara Saldi

Our Second Monthly Meeting Updates

2009-10-16T11:04:00.014-04:00

Hey everybody! First, we want to thank everyone who came to our second monthly meeting this Wednesday. We had a great turnout, and we loved how enthusiastic you all were! For those of you who couldn’t make it, here is some of what happened:

First we discussed the Media, Culture, and Communication Undergraduate Conference. This is a conference that occurs in the spring every year. MCC freshmen are required to attend, but everyone is welcome. This year, Comm Club was approached to help plan the event. This is an awesome opportunity, especially for the freshmen, because we have the ability to make this mandatory conference really cool. We started brainstorming some ideas for topics, speakers, and an interesting format. We always need more ideas and help. If you’d like to help out with this, please email us at nyucommclub@gmail.com

The second order of business was about the blog (the one you are reading right now!). We really want to get some new writers and expand our subject matter. This blog shouldn’t just be about NYU Comm Club happenings – it should be about the world of media! Please contact Sara Saldi at sjs491@nyu.edu if you have any interest in writing a blog entry for us (or even start a column!). It can be as fun as an article about your favorite TV show or as serious as an interview with one of your professor. Remember, having your writing published looks great on your resume.

Now that we have our budget, we can really start planning events. At the meeting, we tried to get a feel for which events people were most excited about (an NBC studio tour was one example. A cupcake branding taste test was another). Though these events were ideas proposed by the E-Board, we are always looking to hear about what YOU guys want to do. Always feel free to approach us with ideas.

Abi and Natan briefed us on the Social Media Society, a professional society focusing on the world of social media. The Comm Club was able to attend the launch of this brand-new society (click here to read one of our past blogs about it). We hope to form the first student chapter of the Social Media Society. Abi will be keeping us posted!

If you have any further questions about what happened at the meeting, please email nyucommclub@gmail.com.

The next Comm Club Meeting will be Wednesday, November 18th at 7:30. Be there!

GlobalQuad: Colleges on Twitter

2009-10-04T21:47:00.005-04:00

Attention everybody! There is a new website (www.globalquad.com) to check out! And okay, given the state of the internet today, that fact is not all too surprising. But trust me, this site serves a purpose! Think about it, have you ever wondered what is going at your university? What event one club is having versus another? What the school journalists are covering at any given moment? What events and news is happening around campus? Or perhaps a better question, have you ever wondered how other universities compare to your own? Wouldn’t it be great if you could find the answers to these questions from a primary source rather than hearsay and rumor? Well now you can!

Globalquad.com is here to answer your questions! Launched this past summer, Globalquad.com: Colleges on Twitter is an aggregate site for the range of twitter accounts from different colleges and universities. By bringing all of the schools’ twitter feeds together and organizing them on one host site, GlobalQuad makes it easy to follow exactly what is being tweeted both around your campus as well as your friend’s.

There are already over seventy colleges and universities represented on the site, ranging from lesser known schools like Towson University in Maryland, to Ivy League colleges such as Harvard. True to its name, GlobalQuad spans the globe as it hosts tweets from The University of Oxford and Cambridge University as well. (And of course, NYU is there too!)

The organization and functionality of the site is explained best in an article from the New York Times Blog, “The Choice.” It clearly states that:

Users can filter news by school, viewing all chatter about one place through, for example, the gathered feeds of a single university’s newspaper, alumni magazine, student clubs and sports teams. In addition to those institutional tweets are personal tweets from a range of campus characters, including student newspaper editors, law librarians, football coaches and journalism professors. (http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/a-new-web-site-for-tweets-from-colleges/).

If a tweet is sent out from a school registered on GlobalQuad, it will be easy to find and along with it, you will be able to read other twitter accounts from the same university, or similar accounts from different universities. The New York Times Blog entry also provides more background on the creation of the site and its editor, Natan Edelsburg (In full disclosure, Natan is an NYU Steinhardt Junior/Senior and the Vice President of the Comm Club).

So those are the straight facts about the site. Great. But what is its real value? It’s as simple as this: GlobalQuad is a great example of how social media can be used as a beneficial resource.

First, the site provides a one-stop shop to gather messages streaming out of your university and others. This will be useful to students who want to stay up to date, but perhaps more importantly for high school seniors who want to get a unique perspective on the schools they are considering. In a way, GlobalQuad provides an outpost for the social media enthusiasts at various universities to construct their virtual university. If the twitter feeds from all of the different academic departments, residence halls, clubs, student government, individual students, etc. at one university are collected in one “space” on GlobalQuad, the University, or at least a representation of the University, has essentially been constructed online through its own written and controlled tweets. That’s pretty cool. Current and prospective students, who want to know a school better, now have a new source for up to the minute information. But it gets better.

GlobalQuad is a great and unique resource because of the way it unites universities across the globe, creating, well, a virtual global campus. Lets say UCLA and USC have an upcoming football game. Being the bitter rivals they are, there are sure to be tweets talking about the game and how one team is going to beat the other (or something more exciting, and perhaps from the teams themselves). With the use of GlobalQuad, there is a new forum where those tweets can be viewed simultaneously and the rivalry, in all of its glory, becomes virtual. Though UCLA and USC are physically close to one another, students or alumni who are currently in a farther location can go to GlobalQuad and get a sense of the action happening on campus by its representation on twitter.

Whether one is an avid fan of twitter and social media, or doesn’t know a tweet from a text but wants to have up to the minute information stemming from campus life, GlobalQuad provides a great service.

Check it out! www.globalquad.com

Written by Felicia Shulman

Bi-weekly Interview: Professor Joseph Reagle, Wikipedia Expert

2009-09-28T23:14:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Professor Joseph Reagle is an adjunct professor in Steinhardt’s department of Media, Culture and Communication. Professor Reagle is an expert on Wikipedia and collaborative communities. He has been quoted multiple times in The New York Times as an expert in this field and has a book coming out on the topic by MIT Press next year. Comm Club VP Natan Edelsburg sat down with Professor Reagle and discussed Wikipedia in the news, how collaborative communities have evolved, and how important collaboration tools and Wikipedia are for education. (This interview has been edited and condensed).

For this week's interview we have included a (poorly edited) clip from the time we spent with Professor Reagle. Enjoy!

Natan Edelsburg: We saw you in The New York Times this summer and were very curious about collaborative communities. How did you start studying them?

Professor Joseph Reagle: I started out as a computer science student at the beginning of the 90s. Then I got interested in technology policy so I went to MIT’s Technology Policy program. I got interested in blogs, wikis and RSS, so I came to NYU [in 2003] and studied the way people were collaborating to produce content on Wikipedia.

NE: Why were you turned off by blogs?

JR: I ended up thinking the blogosphere was a bit too narcissistic; people were only concerned with A-list bloggers. On Wikipedia, people still argue, but they argue about a greater good and things that are bigger than their own ego.

NE: How have wikis changed since you started studying them in 2003?

JR: They certainly have more capabilities. People are into micro-blogging now. But the genre hasn’t changed. Wikipedia was only 2 years old when I began in 2003. Now the English Wikipedia has 3 million articles. They have actually reached a threshold with creative growth, article creation and active users. These things are stabilizing and even dropping now.

NE: What did your dissertation focus on specifically?

JR: The title was, “In Good Faith, Wikipedia, Collaboration and the Pursuit of the Universal Encyclopedia.” To unpack that a bit, I was interested in Wikipedia collaborations and the cultural norms that facilitate collaboration. I wanted to frame it in an historical context. I argued that trying to come up with a thing like Wikipedia has been a long pursued vision for 100 years.

NE: Where was this idea 100 years ago?

JR: H.G. Wells had a vision for a world encyclopedia. He was quite concerned with the changes that were happening around the world, the potential for global war. He thought that with the advanced technology of his time (microfilm, loose-leaf binders and index cards) somehow society would be able to create an encyclopedia. Not only would it be for every student with microfilm, it would help bring world peace. He thought that if we just knew each other better we would like each other. My work looks into why it took so long to achieve something like Wikipedia.

NE: Have you ever thought about teaching a class on Wikipedia and collaborative communities?

JR: I think it would be a fun class and of great interest to students. Clay Shirky at ITP (Tisch’s Interactive Telecommunications Program) has taught a similar class looking more broadly at crowd sourcing and social media that includes a good section on Wikipedia. He wrote a book with these themes titled, “Here Comes Everybody.”

NE: Do you use ‘collaborative communities’ mechanisms in your classes?

JR: Typically not. It’s certainly ironic. I like the face-to-face interactions that I have with students. I use some old fashioned email technology. They go through a filter and go on a web page when I ask questions.

I too have been frustrated with some of the IT capabilities they have here. NYU did experiment with a wiki platform. They did it for around 6 classes in 2007. We’re often forced to use Blackboard. I loathe Blackboard. I don’t know about the Google system, which brings up the issue of giving out your educational intellect to a private company. But there are certainly other platforms too.

NE: You are often quoted in The New York Times as a Wikipedia expert. Can you speak about the topics that were newsworthy?

JR: A lot of the interest in Wikipedia has been asking to what extent it is really open. It is the “free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.” People want to know, “is that really true?” Wikipedia has certain benefits and demerits. Benefits are that anyone can edit them. Demerits are that anyone can be disruptive and be boneheads.

Is Wikipedia open? That has been one of the subjects of my research and interest. One example is the Afghan story. It was believed by The New York Times that journalists had been kidnapped. They thought that reporting on this could cause the journalists more danger and asked publications not to publish anything about it. The New York Times even asked Al Jazeera not to cover the story. They also asked Wikipedia to not put that info on there. However, someone was trying to add it. This person wasn’t identifiable, so they couldn’t ask him to keep this on the DL. They were, however, able to delete his contribution because he didn’t have a good enough source (which is a Wikipedia policy). Then they locked the page.

Because of this people said, “Oh my god, Wikipedia isn’t really open.” But, Wikipedia decided it was the right thing to do morally in this particular case.

NE: Would you ever let a student of yours use Wikipedia as a source?

The former president of the America Library Association, Michael Gorman, said “professors who use or allow students to use Wikipedia is like feeding them a diet of Big Macs.” Nonetheless, sometimes in my bibliography or resources I’ll have dated versions of Wikipedia articles that I knew were appropriate. We all use Wikipedia; there is no way of denying it. You can cite Wikipedia but it’s not authoritative. I counsel students to cite Wikipedia but then cite one of the sources from the page as well. This happens with other scholarship as well. You can read a footnote, but sometimes that’s not what the source actually ends up saying. That said, Wikipedia becomes a teaching moment in itself.

It’s a teaching moment particularly for a department like ours which is about media and media literacy. This allows us to understand the socially constructed character of knowledge and gives us an opportunity to engage with what we’re skeptical about in the media. The professors who don’t follow the policy that I do might have very good reasons for it. They might have seen plagiarism in their class or maybe they just don’t understand it. Hopefully with my work and the other good work out there they will understand the appropriate and inappropriate ways to use it.

NE: What’s your advice to students who want to pursue research like you did? Research track versus professional?

JR: Go to graduate school, which is what I had to do – twice. First to get my masters and then my PhD. I have had students in Steinhardt talk to me about their theses. It’s a great opportunity to work with a professor to engage in a precise issue and write something specific about it.

(Edited by: Sara Saldi)

Societal Social - Comm Club Attends Social Media Society Launch!

2009-09-22T23:30:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! Abi here. Natan and I just got back from Societal Social, an evening celebrating the launch of the Social Media Society (@soosocial). This is the first society of its kind, focusing primarily on social media. We all know about blogging, tweeting, facebooking, and myspacing (yes, these are all terms accepted by urbandictionary.com) but have you ever thought about how big of a communications industry these sites are?

For this reason Comm club wants to get involved. By meeting professionals in this field we can plan for guest speakers and learn about internship opportunities. Natan and I were the only students at the event and people were very excited to talk to us. We met the founder of Social Media Society and are looking forward to collaborating with them by becoming a student chapter.

Social media is a huge up and coming industry and we’re really excited to get involved! For those of you interested in digital marketing, PR, media, ad sales, or anything that has to do with social media stay tuned for updates on the situation!

Update: Comm Club covered in MediaPost's Just An Online Minute blog!

Update: Here's a very poorly edited clip we put together from the night. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks!

-Abi Bock Director of Social Media Society Outreach

Comm Club Attends “Google: Experiments in Digital Creativity” Panel at Advertising Week

2009-09-21T18:45:00.015-04:00

Natan here again. The other panel at Advertising Week today that is worth noting and sharing with everyone was Google’s “Experiments in Digital Creativity”. I could go on forever “geeking out” to the cool things their creative people showed us, but instead I would like to just share with you the presentation itself which can be found at http://bit.ly/87coolthings.

Here were some of my favorite Google inventions from the presentation:

1. Example of clickable videos - booneoakley – BooneOakley.com redirects you to their YouTube page, which is a clickable video. My words wouldn't give it justice, so I recommend you just check it out and see the possibilities of centralizing a brand or a company through YouTube. The possibilities are limitless. A university could present the brands of their school in a whole new light through a medium that our demographic loves going to.

2. Zappos - what shoes are being bought everywhere - http://www.zappos.com/map/

3. Monopoly, Google Maps style - http://www.monopolycitystreets.com/

4. Make history - 9/11 memorial, sponsored by Google - http://makehistory.national911memorial.org/

5. Stweet – Tweet with a picture of exactly where you are standing based on Google’s coordinates - http://www.we-love-the.net/Stweet/

6. Wordle.net – Create beautiful word clouds. - http://www.wordle.net/

7. Augmented Reality - Postal Service’s feature that lets you see how big a box will be for your package - https://www.prioritymail.com/

8. Google Wave – Google’s whole new approach to thinking about different Google Apps - http://wave.google.com/

9. Google Trends – “In aggregate, what people are thinking about and why” - http://www.google.com/trends

We would love to hear your thoughts on the presentation, especially ways that NYU could benefit/use some of Google’s Apps or APIs.

-Natan Edelsburg, Vice President

Comm Club Attends BusinessWeek’s Best Global Brands 2009 featuring Microsoft, Audi America, KFC and Cisco

2009-09-21T17:47:00.010-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending BusinessWeek’s Best Global Brands panel today as a “Delegate" of New York University (according to my badge). As I had expected and hoped, the conversation that Burt Helm, BusinessWeek’s Marketing Editor, moderated ended up focusing on Social Media. Each executive (from Microsoft, Audi America, KFC and Cisco) had his or her own perspective on how it can and should be used as a marketing tool.

Here are the live notes (condensed and edited to the best of my ability) from this panel. Please pay attention to the bolded inserts which are my attempt to comment on the statements they made from the perspective of an NYU student and Comm Club Vice President. Also stay tuned for embedded video from youtube.com/fastforward, once they put up the content.

Apologies for the poor image quality.

Monday, September 21, 2009 2pm-2:45pm

Panelists:

Javier Benito – (JB) Chief Marketing Officer, KFC

Scott Keogh – (SK) Chief Marketing Officer, Audi of America

Marilyn Mersereau (MM) – Senior Vice President, Cisco

David Webster (DW) – GM. Brand and Marketing Strategy, Microsoft

Moderator:

Burt Helm, Marketing Editor, BusinessWeek

Jez Frampton, CEO of Interbrand, gave the introduction.

Interbrand is the firm that provides the statistics each year for BusinessWeek’s Best Global Brands.

OPENING COMMENTS:

JB (KFC): Our biggest challenges….are all related to disposable income, how do we make sure consumers are spending money on our brand and making it their brand of choice.

SK (Audi): In my role it’s incumbent to keep optimism in the system because if it turns the other way there are a whole bunch of problems.

MM (Cisco): – We watch the Cisco ranking by Interbrand very closely… My job is to teach people at Cisco what branding means, to teach our inside executives what the brand means….Our second biggest challenge – we grow through acquisitions…130 companies…We acquired Pure Digital who thinks there Flip is a great brand too. “ARE WE A HOUSE OF BRANDS OR A BRANDED HOUSE? THIS IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE DEAL WITH.”

I capitalize this quote not because she was yelling, but because it really stood out to me as something important to consider when dealing with such a big brand. This is of course something NYU probably deals with on a daily basis. There is Steinhardt, Stern, Gallatin, Tisch, but there is also this one larger NYU brand that appeals to many of the thousands of students who apply.

2:14PM

QUESTIONS:

BH: David Webster: Asked about the launch of "Bing", a new online search engine

DW: Is it Bing, or Bing by Microsoft? These are key questions. People needed to know that it was from somebody they had heard of. In order to even have the credibility….by in large around the world consumers have an enormous trust in Microsoft.

BH: How do you silence bloggers and press versus perception of actual customers, how do you go about thinking about that.

MM: When I do something outbound, when we talk about a new product, our server business, we launched on blogs, where technologists were talking about it first. Then, later on, more traditional media. Most marketers tend to focus on outbound stuff…” She finished off her statement basically saying how often marketers tend to try to find new customers instead of trying to find already existent fans of their product. As the best social media practitioners in advertising have already been teaching, the uniqueness and importance in social media is the ability to let the fans of your brand come and find you. It is very important to be out there in different social spaces so they can find you when they start looking.

SK: We have all sorts of mechanisms to track things. We get back to people. Enthusiasts make sense, we’re an enthusiast brand.

BM: How does Microsoft play in social media?

DW: If you looked at “echo chamber.” Critical thing is when people are actually influential and how to engage them. We have been very active. We have 10,000 bloggers at the company, Twitter accounts for every sub-brand.We crowd-sourced the creative we ran on TV –took user-created videos and put them back on TV. We used it because it allows you to have a conversation. But, don’t get distracted by 5 people, if you overreact to negative statements it will feed into their empowerment.

BM: Last Social Media question for Scott: Is Social media the best marketing medium for building trust, is it useful period?

SK: I’m asked by many people at Audi, why don’t we make this a social media cause, or uploadable. The odds to make it become a viral success is small. Often we just need to focus on selling cars and investing in the future. Social Media from our point of view would be more for customer service, customer relations environment. Not just a pure marketing tool.

The rest of the panel was extremely interesting and due to Advertising Week’s policy on recording I was not able to capture it. I did however ask the first question when the panel was opened up to questions:

My Question: “This is a question for David from Microsoft. I am a student from New York University and every year I notice that most students are purchasing Macs. What is Microsoft doing to compete in this market and to make their computers as sexy as Apple’s products seem to students?”

DW: We have an entire team dedicated to this. For operating with bookstores, the fact that our products are much cheaper compared to Apple’s products, especially during the economic downturn. We are heavily invested in .edu engagement. Also, we have other brands with a “high degree of relevance and engagement.” If you have a Xbox, with a PC you can connect them and get high-def movies, etc.”

The second question from the audience was: What social media spaces do you engage in?

DW – I tweet, I Facebook, personal blog, post videos occasionally on YouTube, I dabble in pretty much everything. I blog through Facebook to over 150 of my team.

SK: Twitter, Facebook

MM: Social Media as a broadcast, “I see a lot of guys from high school that remember me”

-Natan Edelsburg, Vice President, Communications Club

First meeting Great Success!

2009-09-17T08:27:00.002-04:00

First off, thank you to everyone who came to tonight’s meeting. We had a truly awesome turnout, and we really appreciate your interest! Stay tuned for an amazing video from the meeting!
Update: Here is the video! We hope you enjoy it!

This is going to be a great year for Comm Club. We already have some wonderful events in the works, and we loved hearing your input. Studio tours and internship panels both had a great reception. Helping out with Steinhardt’s Undergraduate Conference and a potential partnership with the Women in Communications Club were also discussed.

We were really happy to have people approaching us after the meeting with more event ideas of their own. Remember that we are here for you guys, and we want to help you do what it is that YOU want to do. Please email us at nyucommclub@gmail.com with any ideas that you have for events

Also remember that we would love for you to write for our blog. Anything at all related to media, culture, and communication applies. It can be something as serious as a description of an advertising seminar you attended or as silly as a weekly report on Gossip Girl product placement. Remember, having something that you’ve written appear in an NYU blog can really help when you need writing samples to supplement your resume!

Since today’s time seemed to work for everyone, we are going to keep our monthly meetings on Wednesday nights in the middle of the month. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, October 14th at the same place and time (7:30pm on the third floor of Pless Hall). We look forward to seeing you all there!

We also really want to thank James and Kaplan for supporting our first meeting. Without their help it would not have been possible!

On Sunday October 4^th @ 12 at NYU (Room TBA), NYU Comm Club, in conjunction with Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions, will be sponsoring a campus-wide opportunity for students to take a practice GRE, LSAT & MCAT administered under simulated testing conditions. This Practice Test is a terrific opportunity for you to assess your test-taking skills while learning valuable strategies to help you ace the real test. Since the admissions process has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, a high score on your entrance exam can give you a significant edge!

If you are interested in attending this free event, simply email us (nyucommclub@gmail.com) with your name, email, phone # and the exam that you would like to take. Every person who registers for the Practice Test will earn the NYU Comm Club $1. So, if 50 people register for any of the tests, the club will earn $50. Not only does it benefit you but the club also!

Please share this information with anyone you know and have them email us if they are interested in attending!

Lastly, Look out for emails from us about upcoming events. Thanks again.

Sincerely,
The Executive Board

(Edited by Sara Saldi)

Comm Club's First Meeting!

2009-09-16T02:21:00.009-04:00

Just a reminder that today, Wednesday September 16th, is our first meeting of the year!

Please join us for FREE PIZZA at 7:30pm in the THIRD FLOOR lounge of PLESS HALL (82 Washington Square East - across from the Silver Building).

We will be discussing potential events and asking everyone about their ideas for the upcoming semester. Some things we have planned for the year include a new and improved Comm Club Blog, free movies, studio tours, TV show tapings, and more.

Please email us at nyucommclub@gmail.com or tweet us at @nyucommclub if you have any questions. Otherwise, see you tonight!

Bi-Weekly Interview: Michaela Kron, WSN University Editor

2009-09-14T23:41:00.000-04:00

Comm Club has decided to begin a bi-weekly interview column featuring influential and interesting people that are connected to Media, Culture, and Communications. For our first interview, we sat down with Michaela Kron on September 10, 2009. Michaela is a sophomore MCC major and the University Editor at the Washington Square News.

How did you get involved with the paper?

Michaela Kron: I was the editor of my high school newspaper at North Springs High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Also, the summer after my senior year I interned with the publisher of three local newspapers in Atlanta: The Sandy Springs Reporter, The Buckhead Reporter and Brookhaven. It was a natural progression for me to work for WSN.

What did you cover?

MK: The summer after my senior year they gave me lighter stuff, more feature-y fun stories. This past summer I covered more in-depth, serious stuff.

How are those newspapers doing this year?

MK: Really well, actually. Local newspapers are thriving because people want more local news.

So you already have an amazing portfolio to show your work; that’s wonderful. How did you first get involved with journalism what made you want to write?

MK: I’ve always liked writing. It’s interesting because English wasn’t my first language, Russian was my first. My family is from there and they decided to teach me Russian when I was young. I started learning English in Kindergarten and got better by second grade. I was determined to be good at it so naturally it happened for me. I was never a good math or science person, anyway.

Why didn’t you apply to NYU’s Journalism school?

MK: I didn’t necessarily want to go into journalism; I wanted to look into the broader scope of communications. When I saw the program Media, Culture, and Communications those three words were so interesting and all those things are something I am so interested in. NYU was my first choice and I applied early decision.

When you started covering for WSN what did you first write about?

MK: I was a contributing writer. My first couple of stories were for the city/state section then I gravitated more towards university issues. My first story never actually ran. I worked on it with a partner. At the time, there was a study done saying that there was a higher probability of earthquakes occurring in Manhattan. We spoke to some professors and students, but it never ran. Then I wrote about a program at Columbia requiring students to do community service, and that one did run.

What were you doing during the “Take Back NYU” event last year?

MK: Our desk editor had emailed everyone. The second day I was out there at 6am. It was very cold and my legs were very numb. They never came out to the balcony like we had hoped but we waited there for a very long time.

What do you have planned as an editor this year?

MK: We have a bunch of new freshman writers and writers in general. I’m really focused on working on WSN conventions with them in terms of writing and making sure they understand what it takes. I’m mostly just focused on finding a lot of good stories and searching in places where you wouldn’t think to look.

What are your plans after NYU?

MK: It’s kind of tough because I am considering a bunch of different paths now. I might consider media law and going to law school after this.

What advice do you have for Media, Culture and Communications students?

MK: Get involved in WSN or outside internships. There are so many opportunities. Put yourself out there. Journalism isn’t very easy and it definitely takes some work and dedication. Always be willing to learn!

Make sure to check out WSN’s new website: http://www.nyunews.com/.

(Edited by Sara Saldi)

Comm Club's ReadyU Target Event!

2009-09-14T08:00:00.006-04:00

Saturday, the Communications Club executed our first large event. Felicia Shulman, Caitlin Pirraglia, Lynn Burke and myself (Natan Edelsburg) went out to Washington Square Park to invite students from all of NYU to board free buses to Target in Jersey City so they could get anything they needed for their dorms!

We had a HUGE turnout and heard only good things from our participants. The rain throughout the day did not deter people from coming to the park, enjoying our flavored PUR filtered water and dancing to the music of the amazing DJ that was spinning at our event. For our many, many Twitter followers :), here is a link to the live Tweet from @NYUCommClub from the event: Live Tweet. Here are a few pictures from the event:

Thanks for everyone who came out and we encourage everyone to come join us at our first meeting, this Wednesday at 7:30pm in the 3rd floor lounge of Pless Hall.

Comm Club @ Club Fest!

2009-09-11T10:47:00.012-04:00

This past Thursday Comm Club had an extremely successfully day at Club Fest which took place at Coles from 2pm-7pm. Lynn Burke, our esteemed e-board member, set up shop on her own and helped us secure the most sign ups in Comm Club history. Students stopped by and signed up to show interest in becoming more involved with the club and everything we have to offer. We met students, new and old, from across NYU, who are interested in marketing, film/tv, entertainment and more!

We look forward to seeing everyone at our "Welcome Back" event this Wednesday, September 16th @ 7:30pm in the 3rd floor lounge of Pless Hall (82 Washington Square East, across the street from Silver).

Also, do not forget our FREE Target event tomorrow from 1pm-5pm in Washington Square Park: http://www.fa cebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=133407381020&ref=ts

Welcome Back to Comm Club

2009-09-09T01:19:00.014-04:00

Hello Everyone! Welcome back to another exciting year at Comm Club. We have some really great things planned for our blog:

An editorial calendar, a new editor-in-chief of the blog, and frequent posts featuring interviews, Comm Club information and events, and the general goings-on of the MCC Department. As always, we are excited to welcome new contributors to our blog. Please email nyucommclub@gmail.com if you are interested in writing for us.

For now, here are some of our upcoming events:

September 10th from 2pm-7pm we will have a table at the Club Fair at Coles Gym. Please stop by, say hello, and pick up a flier and some candy!

This Saturday, September 12th from 1pm-5pm we will be hosting a ReadyU Target event. Buses will be leaving from Washington Square N & Waverly Place to take you to the nearest Target for FREE! Get ready to receive lots of discounts and free Procter & Gamble products. Please check out details for the event in the Washington Square News. http://ow.ly/osTi Also, please join the Facebook event and pass it along to anyone at NYU! http://bit.ly/bWkFA

On Wednesday, September 16th at 7:30pm Comm Club will have its first meeting of the year. Please come to the 3rd Floor Lounge of Pless Hall (82 Washington Square East - across from the Silver Building) to meet our E-Board and learn more about our club! There will be FREE pizza and drinks!

Also, don't forget to follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/nyucommclub) to receive updates with news and events.

We hope your classes are going well and welcome back!

-Natan Edelsburg, Vice President

AMAZING Comm Club Event THIS SATURDAY!!!

2009-05-01T09:47:00.001-04:00

You're invited to attend the Campus Movie Fest Regional finale at Lincoln Center this Saturday (May 2nd) at 8pm.

Tickets are free through the CommClub, so just e-mail nyucommclub@gmail.com to find out how to get your tickets.

Only the best of the best films from the northeastern US will be screened.

So join us at Lincoln Center and watch some sweet short films Saturday night!

-CommClub

Join Comm Club!

2009-04-29T10:02:00.001-04:00

Hey Comm Club!!

If you are interested in playing an active role in the Comm Club next year, please come to our information session next Monday, May 4th at 7pm in the department!! Food will be provided!

We are looking to fill various positions on our E-Board and want to meet anyone who is interested in becoming more involved! Please email nyucommclub@gmail.com with any questions.

We hope everyone is surviving the last week of class and finals!!

Good Luck! Hope to see you next Monday night!

Earth Day!

2009-04-22T23:02:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

Earth Day was a great success. Tote bags, recycled notebooks, and movie tickets were raffled off at the awesome event!

And the winners are...
Yvette Rios, Rebecca Kostell, Lucy Huang and Carl Baker!

Celebrate Earth Day with the Comm Club!

2009-04-21T16:14:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone,

Tomorrow, Wednesday April 22, Washington Place will be full of food, fun and live music from 10am-2pm, rain or shine.

The CommClub will be raffling off IMAX movie tickets and green-friendly notebooks among other things.

Swing by and support Steinhardt, Comm and Planet Earth !

Campus Movie Fest Finale!

2009-04-13T19:45:00.001-04:00

Hey CommClubbers !

Come out this Tuesday, April 14, to the Campus Movie Fest FINALE. Cantor, 8pm is where it's at.

And if you'd like to help out with the event, please e-mail Aaron at ama421@nyu.edu. We really need some students from the CommClub who are willing to help with set up around 5 or 6 pm. T-shirts for those who contribute!

Hope to see you there !

Comm Club Goes to the Movies!

2009-04-08T22:47:00.008-04:00

The last few months have been very exciting for the Comm Club! We
have had many successful events that have been inspiring, educational
and fun for everyone. Two of these events were going to the movies as
a club.

In March a group of us went to see Waltz with Bashir the Israeli film
that one a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award. The
film was extremely creative with its unique animation and telling of
an Israeli's memories from war.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylzO9vbEpPg

This event was co-sponsored by MASA Israel Journey, an organization
that provides grant-money for going on long-term Israel programs
(www.masaisraeljourney.com). Check out MASA's new campaign to help
new college grads deal with the economy! www.abetterstimulusplan.org
Contact: Natan Edelsburg, our treasurer, if you have any questions:
nre207@nyu.edu

In April (last weekend!) a group of us went to see Adventureland
starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Ryan Reynolds. We
highly recommend everyone see this romantic comedy that finds a great
way to depict what many college grads go through as they try to
figure out how to support themselves and deal with their lives in the
"real world." Our own Caitlin Pirraglia was in a commercial for the
movie that appeared on MTV! http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/356415/caitlins-story.jhtml
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F--nHysJkw

Don't forget to join our Facebook group (if you haven't already!) where you can find pictures from all our events! http://www.facebook.com/s.php?init=q&q=adventureland&ref=ts&sid=b22af9159c04dc76a825571720825911#/group.php?gid=26719808628&ref=ts

Martha Stewart Living Magazine Tour with Comm Club!

2009-04-05T00:15:00.002-04:00

We have arranged an exclusive tour at Martha Stewart Living Magazine on Monday, April 27th from 11am-12:30pm. We are going to be meeting with members from the Editorial, Advertising and HR staff teams!

We are going to get a chance to learn how the magazine runs in addition to hearing exclusive information about their summer internship program. Our treasurer's mom is a recipe tester for the magazine (and former PR executive) who was nice enough to set this up, so for all you food lovers, we will get a chance to see how the kitchen at a professional company works (and maybe even eat some good food!).

RSVP as soon as possible to nyucommclub@gmail.com with your name, cellphone and graduation date.

Only RSVP if you can definitely make it!

Look forward to seeing you soon!

The Comm Club was featured in WSN!

2009-04-02T16:48:00.003-04:00

Check out this article about Campus Moviefest and the Comm Club in the Washington Square News!

http://www.nyunews.com/news/university/test-your-five-minute-movie-skills-at-campus-moviefest-1.1639414

Come See Adventureland with the Comm Club!

2009-03-30T22:53:00.004-04:00

Come see the new film Adventureland with the Comm Club on Saturday April 4th, 2009!

It's a comedy set in the summer of 1987 and centered around a recent college grad who takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park, only to find it's the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.

We'll be seeing the film at the AMC Loews Village Theatre on 3rd ave at a 1pm!

In the meantime check out our very own event chair's, Caitlin Pirraglia, summer story!
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/356415/caitlins-story.jhtml

Don't forget to join the facebook event! http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1086210199&ref=profile#/event.php?eid=74235897805

RSVP to nyucommclub@gmail.com

This is event is limited to 10 people, so sign up fast!

See you there!

Campus Movie Fest is here!

2009-03-24T20:52:00.002-04:00

The Comm Club has partnered with Campus Movie Fest to give everyone at NYU the chance to make a short film and compete for sweet prizes!

We'll give you the camera, laptop, software and even tutorial sessions!

Sign up online and pick up your equipment March 31st. On April 6th, you hand us your film.

Visit campusmoviefest.com for more details and to sign up.

Look for us on campus, invite your friends, and join the facebook event!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134453040045&ref=mf

If you're interested in making a film make sure you attend the Comm Club informational / team organization meeting for CMF:

Wednesday March 25
7:30pm in the MCC Dept
239 Greene St, 7th floor.

We'll answer your questions about CMF and try to hook you up with a team if you don't have one.
Snacks will be served!

See "Waltz With Bashir" with Comm Club!

2009-03-04T21:35:00.003-05:00

You are cordially invited to join us (again--thanks for those who come to see Slumdog Millionaire with us) this Saturday to see the Israeli Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominated "Waltz with Bashir" for just a $4 co-pay.

The film is at 1:15pm at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, 143 E. Houston St., New York, NY 10002, March 7th, 2009.

RSVP to nyucommclub@gmail.com. The first 20 students will be notified and given further details.

Hope to see you there!

- Comm Club e-board

Slumdog Event!

2009-02-26T19:31:00.003-05:00

Hey Comm Club !

We went to see the Academy Award Nominated (and winner for Best Actor!) film Milk and now you and the Academy voted - Slumdog Millionaire is the film to see! Join us this Saturday to see the best picture winner for just a $4 copay. The film is at 1:15pm at the AMC Loews on 19th Street, Saturday February 28.

RSVP to nyucommclub@gmail.com. The first 10 students will be notified and given further details.

- Comm Club e-board

Oscar Movie Night!

2009-02-05T23:30:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys!

Be sure to vote in the poll on the left to help us pick which movie we will see before the Oscars!

-Your E-Board

Registration Event

2008-11-06T11:46:00.001-05:00

Hey Comm Club!

Confused about what classes to take next semester? Want the real deal on good Professors? Think a class sounds interesting but you’re just not sure if it’s as cool as it sounds? Curious about internships and interning for credit?

Come to the Comm Club Registration Event next Monday night at 7:00 PM in the 3rd Floor Lounge of Pless Hall!

Discuss registration with fellow students, learn about classes other students loved or don’t recommend, and find out about fantastic teachers.

RSVP to nyucommclub@gmail.com with your year in school, a question you may have about a class, and one recommendation you have for your peers. All of the information will be gathered and anonymously shared with fellow members at the meeting.

This event is only as good as the number of people who come to it so please, invite your friends! Dessert will be provided.

Hope to see you there!

Your Comm Club E-Board

TV SHOW TAPING!

2008-10-05T22:13:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone!

Our first big event is coming up really soon and we'd love to see some new faces :)

We are going to the Martha Stewart Show on the afternoon of Tuesday October 14th (the day we have no classes) so you better be there!

RSVP to our facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=29802452182

Kick Off Event!

2008-09-21T13:24:00.001-04:00

Hey Comm Club!

Be sure to come by the Comm department at 7pm on Wednesday night for our Kick Off Event! There will be free pizza and soda for all but more importantly we will be discussing our events and goals for the year. If you want to know about all the amazing activities we have planned or want to suggest some ideas of your own be sure to stop by!

Everyone is welcome! Please RSVP by emailing nyucommclub@gmail.com by Wednesday morning.

Can't wait to see you all there!

-Your Comm Club E-Board

Welcome Back!

2008-09-15T21:53:00.003-04:00

Hi there!

You've come to the brand new NYU Steinhardt Communications Club Blog!

Since our current website is way out of date, we thought we would crate a blog, something that is much easier to keep current and much more interactive. We hope that you will find this blog informative and will also feel free to give us advice and feedback!

We had our first E-Board planning meeting last Thursday, September 11, on the third floor of Pless Hall. We designated responsibilities for the year (or at least the semester), and appointed new positions. Joining Co-Presidents, Aaron Azpiazu and Cherish Dacon, were Natan Edelsburg as Treasurer, Rachel Nevers as Secretary, Caitlin Pirraglia and Felicia Shulman as Co-Event Chairs, and Olivia Smith as Publicist. We still encourage anyone interested in planning events to attend our e-board meetings in the future, and will keep the details of those meetings posted on both this blog and on our facebook.

We are in the midst of planning our first event, a welcome back party with free food! This event will serve as an introduction to our club, as well as our department, and will get everyone excited for the upcoming year!

We also have some TV show tapings and tours, movie nights, Campus Movie Fest, and museum visits in the works. Check back soon for details, and feel free to fill out the poll or leave a comment to let us know your ideas and suggestions!

We look forward to meeting you and having a great year!

-NYU Comm Club

About Us

2008-09-15T20:59:00.002-04:00

Welcome to NYU Steinhardt Communications Club!

Our Mission:

To work alongside the department in making sure each and every member is informed, prepared and confident to enter the field of communications. We will provide networking opportunities through academic seminars, collaborations with NYC communications centers and have consistent contact with professors, advisors, alumni and other students. Additionally, we will provide fun events and opportunities for our members to learn and associate with students who share their interests.

Contact:

nyucommclub@gmail.com

twitter.com/nyucommclub