IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of California, Irvine Extension announced today an innovative online Specialized Studies program in Digital Journalism in response to the explosive growth of online media, and the resulting need for career journalists to transition from traditional to new digital media platforms. Writers, journalists, and publishers looking to enhance their careers and migrate to real-time content management and publishing utilizing online media outlets will benefit from this program.

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"With the immediacy of the news cycles, blogs, wikis, and social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, the way news content is gathered, reported and disseminated has completely changed," said Melanie Mitchell, director of management, marketing and business programs at UC Irvine Extension. "Our Digital Journalism program allows participants to combine their journalistic skills with the practical tools needed to successfully contribute to this digital media transformation."

Two free webinars and two online courses will be offered this spring to provide professionals with a comprehensive understanding of how to gather, write and disseminate news and information across multiple online platforms.

The free webinars are as follows:

• Digital Journalism Education Planning Session: On Wednesday, February 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST, participants may join a webinar providing an overview of the program, explaining how UC Irvine Extension has worked with professionals from leading digital publications to help career journalists learn how to take advantage of the variety of digital media outlets necessary in today's diverse news marketplace.
• Marketing Your Online "Beat" Information Session: Taking place on Wednesday, March 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST, this webinar will present participants with an overview of the ways in which journalists develop their 'beat,' creating a network of online sources and deepening their knowledge of social media promotional techniques. The webinar will also include a sneak peek into the spring course, "Finding and Marketing Your Online 'Beat.'"

The new courses include:

• Making Your Journalistic Notebook Public (April 1 – May 5): Technology has fundamentally changed the ways in which news is gathered, produced and distributed. The vast array of social networking tools now available on the web, including Facebook, Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, G+ and Skype are all critical outlets that journalists can utilize to find sources, build content, and promote stories. The course will help students identify how to organize their online journalism toolkit and select the appropriate methods to tell their stories. Instructor Kevin Hanegan, B.S., is the author of four related programming books and is currently the Director of Educational Services for TIBCO Software.
• Finding and Marketing Your Online Beat (April 29 – June 9): This course focuses on the last decade of transition in the journalism world. Rapid technology changes have deeply affected journalism, bringing multiple opportunities for reporters to distinguish themselves. In order to survive in an ever-evolving world, today's journalist or writer needs to have at least one area of expertise; their "beat."  Instructor Deidre Woollard, M.F.A. will examine the various forms an online "beat" can take, as well as how to develop a "beat," court sources, deepen your knowledge and ultimately, how to get online content read.

For additional information or to register for the online courses or webinars, please visit http://unex.uci.edu/areas/business_mgmt/digital_journalism/ or call (949) 824-5414.

About UC Irvine Extension: University of California, Irvine Extension is the continuing education arm of UC Irvine. Through thousands of courses and programs offered on campus, online and on site, UC Irvine Extension helps adult learners reach their career advancement and personal enrichment goals — and is celebrating 50 years of providing universally accessible, university-level learning to local, regional, and global communities. Learn more at www.extension.uci.edu, or join us on Facebook at facebook.com/uciextension.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UC Irvine contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UC Irvine news, visit www.today.uci.edu. 

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SOURCE UC Irvine Extension