Cronkite New Media Academy offers digital training to public

Arizonans interested in developing digital media skills and strategies are invited to participate in a series of hands-on workshops taught by multimedia experts at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

The Cronkite New Media Academy offers training to the general public on social media, information security, public relations and video during the spring semester. Those interested can sign up for an individual workshop, several sessions or the entire series.

The New Media Academy, launched in 2009, is designed so that participants work with skilled media professionals in small group settings. Sessions are taught by top Cronkite faculty and staff in the school’s state-of-the-art media labs on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus.

Cronkite associate dean Kristin Gilger said participants come from diverse backgrounds with a variety of professional goals. “Whether you’re looking to develop a social media presence for your business or organization, or you want to advance your career by sharpening your digital media skills, the New Media Academy can help you keep up with the constantly changing world of digital communications,” she said.

A $50-per-session discount is available for ASU faculty, staff, students, alumni and family members, as well as members of professional journalism organizations and Arizona chamber associations. Bundle discounts are available when registering for multiple social media and video courses. Registration is available here. 

Spring workshops

Securing Sensitive Communications and Information in the Internet Age – Jan. 10

Discover how to safeguard sensitive information on laptops and other devices from government and third-party interception. The session is taught by digital media expert Dan Gillmor and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Doig.

Social Media 101 – Feb. 7

Sharpen important social media fundamentals and skills by learning how to use some of the most popular platforms, including Facebook and Twitter. Social media expert Dawn Gilpin works one-on-one with participants as she shares her expertise in this hands-on session.

Advanced Social Media – Feb. 8

Learn how organizations and individuals can maximize use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and what other handles they should consider integrating into their social media strategy. Robin Phillips, digital director of the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, will work with participants on social media strategies and ways to measure success.

PR for Nonprofits, Small Businesses and Organizations – April 4

Develop digital public relations and marketing communications skills to promote your cause, business or organization. Fran Matera, founding director of the Cronkite School’s Public Relations Lab, will cover key communication strategies that make a difference.

Video: Capturing Compelling Stories – April 4

Practice shooting high-quality video, composing strong shots and locating compelling subject material in this workshop. Cronkite production manager Jim Jacoby, an Emmy award-winning editor and director, will show participants how to create compelling video for a variety of uses.

Video Editing: Learn Adobe Premiere – April 5

Get training in the video editing software application Adobe Premiere. This hands-on session, taught by Jacoby, will cover basic to intermediate software functions for creating and editing video packages.