Eyeopener forfeits words for readers

The Eyeopener has been re-designed to appeal to an internet-savvy demographic. The featured stories in the Ryerson campus newspaper have been cut down to about 300 words from about 600 words in order to keep readers engaged.

Ryerson student Sarah Robinson enjoys the

weekly edition (Kimberly Ivany)

"Anything we say about this generation is influenced by the internet," says Editor-in-Chief Amit Shilton, explaining how the internet affects readers' short attention spans. "Our writing is quick. It's easy to read. It's more entertaining."

But with this comes a price.

Shilton says the Eyeopener won only two awards this year, mainly because of the short stories.

He's not worried though.

"Is good journalism something that will get read, or something that will win awards?" he said. "I don't care for awards. To me, that means shit. I'd rather get people to care."

Short articles like this one only won the Eyeopener
two awards this year (Kimberly Ivany)

New media Professor Clay Shirky agrees. He says in his essay "Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable" that "Society doesn't need newspapers. What we need is journalism."

Shirky says it's not about saving newspapers. It's about saving society by getting the news out there whatever way works the best.

Does that mean newspapers won't exist in 30 years? Both Shirky and Shilton say we can't know.

"There are so many questions we just won't be able to answer now," says Shilton about the online world of journalism. "I can't understand it yet, but it's the future."

Related links:

• The Eyeopener Online: Independent student weekly at Ryerson University
• Clay Shirky's "Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable": An essay on the relationship between the internet and journalism

Student Opinion: Stephanie Fereiro talks about the future of newspapers.



Summary: Ryerson campus newspaper The Eyeopener cuts down word counts to keep an internet-savvy demographic engaged.

-Kimb3rly

Historic Fort York: Photoshop Test

Breaking news! Blue stars in Toronto.



Historic Fort York (iStock)




Historic Fort York, edited by Kimberly Ivany (iStock)




Historic Fort York, edited by Kimberly Ivany (iStock)




Historic Fort York, edited by Kimberly Ivany(iStock)

Historic Fort York: Video Test

Historic Fort York is a museum in Toronto that contains the largest collection of original buildings from the War of 1812. It is known as the birthplace of Toronto and was the location of the epic Battle of York in 1813.

Today, visitors can tour the museum and watch live re-enactments such as this field-cannon firing.



Historic Fort York is a must-see attraction, whether you're a history buff or not!

News on Paper: Poll Test

Canadian criminals at your fingertips

Jim Rankin is an investigative reporter for the Toronto Star and one of the creators of the Star's Crime and Punishment website, an online series designed to explore the cause and effect of crime and punishment in Canada.

The site is a database that maps every criminal in the country using both postal code and sentencing information of inmates obtained by freedom of information requests. It has been in the works since 2003 and the collected data is presented in multi-media forms.

The site features:

interactive crime time lines beginning in the 1800s

pictures of old prisons

mini-documentaries

an interactive tour of a prison

interactive maps that visually represent incarceration data

games in which players can decide the sentence of real-life crimes

The site is both informative and entertaining, offering readers a depth of information on a topic that Rankin says is as common as sports reports.

"It's an alice in wonderland kind of experience," says Rankin about the site.

But Rankin recognizes the challenge of online journalism. The site does not get many hits, and Rankin believes that promotion through networking sites like Twitter and Facebook is beneficial.

"The idea is to make [the site] sticky," says Rankin, emphasizing the importance of site promotion. "If you build it, they won't come unless they can find it."

Related Sites:

Toronto Star Website
Crime and Punishment Website

Summary: Jim Rankin is part of a Toronto Star team which has created a Crime and Punishment website, a database which maps criminals in Canada.

-Kimb3rly

OCAD goes international

The Ontario College of Art and Design is located in the heart of Toronto, but students are going international.

Luis Moreno is one of two fourth-year photography students whose work has been chosen to represent OCAD at the Sony World Photography Awards, which will take place in Cannes, France in April. Moreno will be competing against students from 22 other schools in North America, all of whom have submitted images that depict the theme of war and peace and how it relates to each applicant's home country.

Moreno’s image, Just A Drill, depicts a young reservist of the Queen’s York Rangers, the 32nd Canadian Brigade Group Reconnaissance unit.

"I’ve been able to photograph the young recruits undergoing everything from training routines to simple rifle cleaning, to early morning drills and target practice," says Moreno. "I’ve learned from them to take pride in what I do."

Just A Drill (Luis Moreno)

Photography is just one program of study at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Advertising, environmental design and printmaking are other examples of the many programs offered at "the university of imagination", as OCAD is often referred.
"At OCAD...we explore art and design practice through a diversity of cultures and disciplines," says president Sara Diamond. "This generosity provides a rich foundation for learning."

OCAD is one of five colleges in Toronto and features over 2,500 students. However, it does not illustrate your typical college environment. The McCaul Street campus features a black-and-white pixilated building 26 metres off the ground, held up by 12 multi-coloured legs.


The Ontario College of Art and Design, located at 100 McCaul Street in Toronto (Richard Johnson)



Related Links:
Sony World Photography Awards
OCAD Website


Summary: Fourth-year photography student to represent the Ontario College of Art and Design in an international competition in April.

-K!mberly