10 tips for small (or any) newspapers to fight circ. declines; Lawrence goes niche; Memo to the photocracy; Uncut P-funk, spiders on drugs and flaming Elmo dolls

10 tips for Small Newspapers (Or any newspaper for that matter) to fight the circ. decline
Steve Outing has lots of great advice for newspapers. #4 and #5 both focus on how journalism educators and universities should be much more involved with local papers (or how local papers should be much more involved with educators) as I recently suggested (check the comments for more).

The World Company (Parent of Lawrence.com/LJWorld.com/KUSports.com) breaks into not necessarily local niche sites with BoomerGirl.com
A magazine-style, baby-boomer site for the ladies–complete with an “oh-so sexy Spanish teacher” named Ramon. I think this is kinda what Rex was talking about. And what MTV is working to do with their niche sites initiative. It doesn’t surprise me that Lawrence is breaking the newspaper mold again. I love the mega-header design, too. Gotta watch this. (Via Jeff Croft)

Memo to photo staffs: embrace video
Michael Bazeley brings us this gem: “Is your newspaper cross training its still photogs to do video? Not really. There’s been talk of it but the photocracy* isn’t really interested. … They aren’t even interested in helping out with Soundslides (all that production is done by web staffers, except for a few rare cases where a photographer stood over someone’s shoulder)!” Man, sucks to be that guy. (Via Howard Owens)

WRAL 50th Anniversary Interactive :: WRAL.com
Nice historical project for a TV station website!. (Via Seth Gitner)

Food for thought: video 60 fps - 11 megapixels
Meet “Spike.” The 60 fps, 11 megapixel video camera/orgasm for $17,000.

P-Funk. Uncut Funk. The Bomb.
James Brown’s death has me all freaked out. I’m trying to make sure I see all my fav. ‘older’ live bands in the next year. If you haven’t seen p-funk, book your tickets now. Best. Show. Ever.

Tickle Me Elmo On Fire - Google Video
I love the Internet.

YouTube - Spiders On Drugs
Very interesting study.

A (fast-paced) introduction to Django.
Resolution #4, underway.

CNN breaking news mashup on Twitter
“Josh Bancroft has noticed that there is a user on Twitter with the username CNN Breaking News. It certainly looks like the news channel someone is experimenting with using the mobile social networking tool to break news headlines.” I knew there was some practical use for Twitter, beyond finding out when the Christmas turkey is carved in the Ray household. Although, I suppose that is news worthy in a micro-niche way in a world where “You” are Time’s Person of the Year.

NPPA multimedia contest winners for December announced
Big ups everyone that entered. Cruising the entries from everyone in the contest has been very inspiring. It’s also been a bit disconcerting that so much great work is still being crammed into horrible, non-functioning media players.

Why can’t I be passionate about journalism and technology?
“The ironic thing is that the industry is alienating exactly the kind of people who will help them transform to meet the changing needs of the market. It is ironic that they are also alienating many parts of their digitally literate audience.”