Posted By Robert Williamson

Learn the skills you need to tell compelling business stories on multiple platforms with the “Become a Multimedia Business Journalist” track, sponsored by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.

The track will include these sessions, before and during SABEW’s annual conference in March, at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in downtown Phoenix:

* “Produce a Video Business News Story in a Day” – Hands-on session from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (includes lunch and dinner) on Thursday, March 18. Participants will report, film and edit a 1.5- to 2-minute video business story. No previous video equipment or video experience required. Story will be critiqued and burned to a DVD to take home. Limited to 20 participants, who will work in teams of two. Separate registration for this free session is required; please click here. Your instructor will be Brian Snyder, TV-production specialist for the Cronkite School.

* “How to Look Natural On Air” — Hands-on session from 7:30 to 11 a.m. on Friday, March 19. Participants will practice being interviewed on air in the Cronkite School newsroom by an off-camera anchor. They will be critiqued and given a chance to practice a second time. Sessions will be burned to DVD for them to review later. Limited to 10 participants. Separate registration for this free session is required; please click here. Your instructor will be Susan Green, broadcast director of the Cronkite News Service, with 21 years of professional television experience.

* Take Compelling Business News Photos
- Three-hour, hands-on session to be held one morning or afternoon during the conference. Bring your own camera or use one provided by the school. Participants will learn the basics of photo composition and then apply them by shooting an actual assignment. Shoot will be critiqued by the instructor, Carlos Chavez, deputy photo editor at The Arizona Republic. Registration is limited to 20, who will go out on assignment in teams of two.

* Podcasting 101 – Hands-on introductory session to be held the afternoon of Saturday, March 20. Learn the basics of recording audio and creating a podcast.

All sessions in the track are available at no extra charge to anyone attending SABEW’s 2010 conference. Space in some sessions will be limited. To register for the SABEW conference, click here.

Participants can choose to take some or all of the sessions. Anyone who completes the entire track will receive a “Circle of Achievement” award certificate from the Reynolds Center, denoting his or her participation in the multimedia sessions.

For more information, please e-mail Linda Austin, executive director of the Reynolds Center, at linda.austin@businessjournalism.org or call her at 602-496-9187, or e-mail Jill Jorden Spitz, SABEW conference chair, at jspitz@azstarnet.com or call her at 520-573-4177.