Just a few days ago, I was having a discussion with a colleague on the need to teach social media and things like SEO formally under the curriculum since those skills are more relevant to the job market today than others. Reporting and writing have become more social now than ever before, and the need to understand how to best get your word out to the relevant audience, especially using powerful tools like Facebook and social media platforms, is something every journalist needs to know.
Realising the importance of the presence of journalists online Facebook in collaboration with Poynter Institute have launched their Facebook for Journalists Certificate as part of their Facebook Journalism Project. This first of its kind journalism program is a three-course curriculum jointly designed by the Poynter Institute and Facebook.
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Facebook for a while has been hearing on their News on Facebook events that journalists would like to have more access to more Facebook product tips and tools would be helpful for their day-to-day job responsibilities.
According to Kelly McBride Vice President at the Poynter Institute:
“You can’t do journalism these days without Facebook. It’s a privilege to team up on this definitive guide for journalists.”
“With these free online courses, Facebook and Poynter seek to make it easier for journalists to utilize Facebook and Instagram in their daily work — from news gathering to storytelling to engaging with their followers” – Facebook
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The courses have been co written by the Poynter Institute and Facebook with the final assessment done by Poynter to test the proficiency of the course. The course pairs product knowledge, case studies, and tips from Facebook with journalistic guidance from Poynter.
Journalists who complete these courses are encouraged to join Facebook’s News Media & Publishing group, where they can suggest new courses, ask questions about Facebook products, connect with colleagues in the industry, share best practices and hear about case studies and product updates.
Image source: Facebook
