Renee Barnes

**UPDATE** Renee Barnes has pulled out of Project TOTO. Full explanation at bottom of page.

Name: Renee Barnes

City: Melbourne

Occupation: Online journalism lecturer (RMIT), Freelance journalist

Twitter: @renbarau

Blog(s): www.newsfrontier.wordpress.com

Bio:

I communicate – that’s what I have always done, and I like to think that I am quite good at it. Generally, I communicate about things that I am passionate about, unfortunately sometimes about things that I’m not (a stint on a newspaper business desk – need I say more). After more than 10 years as a journalist for The Age, The ABC and newswire service AAP, I joined RMIT as an online journalism lecturer. That was two years ago.

Why I want to be an outreach blogger:

As a university lecturer, I use my journalistic background and passion for the vast and changing digital landscape to help shape young journalists of the future. But as the online world expands, so to does the role of the traditional media to act as gatekeeper of information. Unlike many from my background, I find this concept particularly exciting. The online medium gives the opportunity for stories, issues and points of view not given centre stage in the traditional media a chance to be told.

I am so passionate about this particular issue that I will spend the next five years, and 100,000 words (that’s a lot for a journalist) exploring this very issue in my doctoral research.

I believe I would be an excellent outreach blogger because I bring passion for the intended outcomes of this project, writing, online and social media skills, and the proven ability to teach these skills. I bring passion to this project because I honestly believe these skills can help give a global voice to those not currently heard.

**UPDATE 11 January 2010** Renee Barnes has pulled out of the Project TOTO competition due to competing demands. In her own words…

“It is with regret that I am withdrawing from the finalists for the next Outreach blogger.

The quality of all of the candidates is outstanding and it was such a great honour to be included among them. Unfortunately, I have a number of other commitments that mean I cannot dedicate the amount of time to the project as I would like.

Good luck to all of the remaining finalists – I can’t wait to follow your progress.”