Video Interview: Convergence Journalism
Posted by heatherrast on February 2nd, 2010
Nick Bergus is a teacher, a foodie, a writer, a videographer, and new media creator. He has business sense, a creative flair and an unflappable ‘approachability’ factor that makes intellectual discussions entertaining and satisfying at the same time. And he’s my second guest for the 10 In 10 Vlog series. I’m thrilled he had a few minutes to chat with me about journalism, new media, pay walls, and steeped traditional professions like hog farming in Iowa.
Nick believes that multimedia tells a story, appealing to a consumer’s multiple facets through sound, visuals, intonation, and context simply not available in traditional, static print media.
Watch our interview here (admittedly, it’s longer than the advertised 10 minutes by double. But he’s worth it.) or watch it on my Motionbox channel here.
As always, your comments and observations are appreciated. Next month I’ll interview entrepreneur and Web-based software developer Eric Engelmann of Geonetric.
Nick Bergus – Adjunct Instructor, Multimedia at U of I and Production Coordinator, NLTV
- You hold a BA in Religious Studies and an MA in Journalism and Mass Communication. How do those two tracks work to further your career objectives?
- How well do you feel academic institutions are preparing communication students for today’s work force?
- What skills and experiences do you think are must-haves for college graduates and entry-level workers of tomorrow?
- What’s it going to take to turn the publishing industry and journalism craft around? From a financial standpoint? From a consumer consumption standpoint?
- Do you think the adoption of social media on a business level can help or hurt tomorrow’s media industry?
- Tell me about multimedia content and journalism. Can they truly combine in a meaningful way that drives value through experience? Beyond simple execution?
- You’ve won several scholarships and awards. Would you describe yourself as a competitive person? And you believe those types of pursuits are critical for an aspiring communicator in today’s market?
- Define ‘convergence journalism’ and ‘nonlinear multimedia stories.’
- From my perspective, you seem to have a strong creative/expressive side to your personality as well as a strong intellectual side. Has this always been true? And how might your two careers advance those needs?
- Tell me about your affection for food. Certainly the blog title “Death of a Pig” is intriguing. An Iowa transplant myself, I’m still trying to understand this ag-focused culture even after years of living here.
