Frances Dinkelspiel, former Merc writer who freelances for the NY Times, reports on her blog that she visited an event put on by City College in San Francisco for journalists in transition.

In the past few years, Bay Area newspapers have shed 400 reporting and editing positions, which means there are a lot of people trying to reinvent themselves. And that’s what the conference was about — how to survive in this somewhat hostile, yet very interesting, media environment. …

There were workshops on how to do multimedia reports using slides and sounds, and a keynote address by Davia Nelson, one of the “Kitchen Sisters,” on creating compelling radio documentaries. There was a panel on writing books and on revamping your resume.

To survive nowadays, journalists have to wear multiple hats. Not only must reporters write and produce traditional pieces for newspapers, magazines, and radio — usually on a freelance basis — they also have to write for websites, start blogs, or even create their own small businesses by producing neighborhood websites.”