Unfortunately, as newsroom budgets are slashed the first thing to go is training. With new technologies emerging and the expectations of news consumers becoming more sophisticated, journalists need hands-on digital training now more than ever.

Training doesn't have to be expensive – and you can easily create online sessions on your own. But when I mention this, newsroom managers point to pricey e-learning tools and say that they can't find the time to produce a daylong multimedia basics seminar.

A better way to approach training is to find one concept or digital tool to focus on – and nothing else – for about 5-7 minutes. Introduce the tool, explain how it adapts to some area of journalism, and then provide a few opportunities for folks to try it on their own. I also think it's helpful to offer a tip sheet for each session, listing the URL or location of the tool and a summary using bullet points.

I use an application called Snapz Pro to create my videos – and it's very simple to record from the Web. If Snapz Pro doesn't suit your fancy, there are lots of applications out there that will record Web sessions.

I'd encourage you to try creating your own tutorial today!