Google “Tim Harper” and the first thing you’ll find is his website. The freelance writer, author and journalism instructor’s busy site includes an archive of his articles, a bio, contact information and even journal-type entries chronicling trips he’s taken.
Harper started the site in the late 1990s to promote his books, but soon realized it “could be used for all my work, for building my brand as an author, freelance journalist, editorial/publishing consultant and part-time professor. I put up more and more samples of my work as editors and prospective clients became more and more likely to say, ‘What’s your website?’ instead of ‘Can you send me some clips?’”
Harper may have been something of a pioneer. But given the turmoil facing the news business, more and more reporters are starting their own websites or blogs, driven by the need not just to archive their work, but to create an online presence - a brand - for themselves.
“The climate (in journalism) has changed so much,” says Columbia University journalism professor and new media specialist Sree Sreenivasan. “One of the most important things you can do right now is have an archive of your work available at all times.”
A Simple Look For One Reporter’s Site
John Tedesco, an investigative reporter for the San Antonio Express-News, used WordPress to create a site with a streamlined, minimalist look.
“It’s important for journalists to have their own site to promote their work and have a kind of calling card on the Internet,” Tedesco says. “When someone Googles your name, your site pops up. People can learn more about the kinds of stories you work on and find your contact information.”
Tedesco’s site includes not just links to his stories, but also blog entries with information about open records issues and tips on digging up information.
“I didn't want to make my site all about me,” he says. “Journalists need to engage people and explain what's entailed in gathering the news. My newspaper does a lot of good work, and I link to cool stories done by my colleagues. Usually I try to explain what was entailed in getting the story and why it matters.”
Tedesco admits the site doesn’t attract a lot of traffic. “But I think it's a cool site to have out there,” he adds. “If it opens a dialogue and helps a few readers understand what I believe journalism is all about, it's worth the effort.”
