...and I won an iPod Shuffle! Not bad for a Tuesday morning :oP

Let me explain. Hot on the heels of our TEDx USC conference yesterday -
which CNN cosponsored - some folks from CNN wanted to have a brainstorming session with USC students to discuss the future of news, and in particular, the future of their Web site's contribution to the news. We were divided into 5 teams and given an hour to come up with answers to their questions in the form of a new design for CNN.com. I don't want to say that my team had an advantage with my design background, my friend from the School of Art, and a Master's of Journalism student at our table, but ... it's possible. We were co-winners with one other team and were given a new iPod Shuffle for our win. Bonus!

Some of my thoughts about the exercise are following, and feel free to agree or disagree in the comments:

Since CNN is the first and original 24-hour "cable news network", I think it is imperative that CNN stick with their journalistic roots. Meaning, sure, add interactive content, stream to RSS feeds, and link to videos, but CNN also has some of the strongest and most visible news personalities out there, and the investigative skills of Christiane Amanpour and Anderson Cooper, for instance, should be highlighted and promoted if they want to stand out from the other news outlets. I like the content that CNN offers but I've always been a big fan of the interactive graphics and maps from NYTimes.com, and I would love if CNN could pull that sort of thing off in their own way, as well.

So that's that. More fun with pre-fab this afternoon and trying to finish up my thesis paperwork before next week's deadline. Stay tuned.....