The JSONS Media Manager: pics, audio or video files
Pictures
JSONS reporters are authorized to use the AP Images database available on the library website. Go to the Iwasaki Library webpage, click on “Articles and More” and click on the “AP Images” link. It has thousands of stock photos, so use it!
Audio
The Journalism department has tutorials available on using audacity to edit audio here: (you may have to sign in with Emerson ID)
http://journalism.emerson.edu/resources/documentation/audacity/index.htm
and practice editing a basic radio script here:
http://journalism.emerson.edu/resources/practice/adobe_audition/index.htm
Video
Journalism department tutorials on editing and using video are here: (again, you may have to login with Emerson ID)
http://journalism.emerson.edu/resources/documentation/windowsmoviemaker/index.htm
http://journalism.emerson.edu/resources/practice/moviemaker/index.htm
Best formats:
For pictures: JPEG or GIF
For audio: WAV
For video: MOV
Edit your media in a program with which you are familiar, then save it as a file in one of the above formats. THEN upload media onto JSONS.
Uploading a picture
Step 1: Crop and resize photo in Photoshop (or another program). Your first photo should be 180-250 pixels wide. It will appear on the front page with your headline and summary. Any other pictures can be as wide as 470 pixels wide. In Photoshop, save it under the “Save for Web and Devices” option and use JPEG low setting.
Step 2: In JSONS, when you “Add an Article” there is a box labeled “Media Manager” on the right hand side of the screen. After you have copied your text into the text box, upload media. Choose “Upload Media.” Then browse and find your photo.
Step 3: When you open a photo in the Media Manager you can add keywords and a photo credit. If this is the top photo (which will appear on the homepage) DO NOT add a caption. Click “Attach.”
The file name of the photo should appear in the Media Manager box on your “Add an Article” page. They will list in order of appearance in the story. If you want to change the order of your pictures, click on “Edit Captions & Positions.” Click “Update”
Removing media from your story
Find your article by clicking “Edit Article” when you login to the Staff Login of JSONS. Go to the Media Manager box to the right of the story, find the media you want to remove. Uncheck the box next to it. Click the Update button on the top right of the Media Manager screen. Update the story.
Slideshows
If you use Soundslides, upload your slideshow to ftp://journalism.emerson.edu/jsons/slideshows. You may need to be on a campus computer, or use a “fetch” program on your home computer.
You can also use an online slideshow program at www.slide.com. It allows you to import your own photos, to choose a background, a display mode and even a musical accompaniment. You can select the speed of the slideshow’s motion and to even stop it. It eventually yields a code that you can embed into your main story and/or your summary. If you choose to display the show in the summary (in the homepage), you have to change its dimensions: make the height longer than the width (it has to play vertically) and choose dimensions that are smaller than those of slideshow in the regular inside page (the slideshow has to be narrow to fit in the layout of the homepage).
Videos
Once you have edited your video you can import it onto Emerson’s server: median.emerson.edu. Click on “Share” in the top-right corner. You will be given an HTML code. Copy and paste the HTML into your story. The code will say that your video is approximately 500 pixels in width and 400 pixels in height (different cameras and/or editing systems may yield slightly different dimensions—so DON’T PANIC). Write these numbers down–you will need to change them because that size video player is too big.
One size that has worked is 350×265, so change the original 500×400 to 350×265. These dimensions appear in two different places in the code, so change them twice.
For the homepage/front page: Change the code dimensions to 245×186. Place the code in the summary box just before your byline. Add a <BR> (space). Now our front page will include not only your summary but also a video that can be played at any time.
BEST VIDEO SHARING OPTIONS:
Emerson’s Median yields a sharp picture but it is a bit slow. It accepts the following formats: avi, .dv, .mov, .qt, .mpeg, .mp4, .3gp, .asf, .wmv; YouTube is fast (1-5’ per MB) but the picture is fuzzy; Vimeo.com is sharp and relatively quick (6MB of .m4v in 8’ and 17MB of QT in 16’).
You may want to experiment with all three.
Median.emerson.edu specs
“Share” or “export” in “.mov” mode (in iMovie or other video editing program)
import into Median
size for summary and homepage video window: width 180, height 120. Center via (<center>…</center>)
size for inside page window: w 340, h 225 , OR 350 x 265 OR something in between. Still center it via: <center>….</center>
