By Philip Hadley
University News Service
March 6, 2008

The students are participating in the project in conjunction with their issues in new media class under the direction of assistant professor Cindy Royal. The web log, “South by Texas State,” can be found at http://sxtsu.blogspot.com.

“Most people know about the South By Southwest Festival in Austin because of the musical acts that it attracts,” Royal said.  “A lesser known, but very important part of the festival, is the Interactive Conference. The conference brings together leaders in the fields of technology and communication to discuss current issues and trends regarding new and interactive media.”

Students will have the opportunity to hear from and interact with concepts, theories and people they have been learning about all semester in their class. Some of those people include Mark Zuckerberg, founder of the social networking web site Facebook, and Henry Jenkins, author of “Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide.” 

The students will also be able to network with leaders in the technology field from organizations like Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Apple and Technorati.  In creating the Web log they will be engaging with significant media technologies by posting multimedia content, and will be able to share their experiences while interacting with others.  

“I think it is important that Texas State students are represented at such a significant event in our region,” Royal said. “Texas State students and faculty are invited to visit the blog during the Interactive Festival to view and comment on our coverage.  There you will find articles about panels, events, and speakers, photos and video of the event, and unique coverage from the students’ perspective.”

For more information on the web log contact Cindy Royal by phone at (512) 245-3481 or by email at croyal@txstate.edu.