Check It. Byliner.

I read a really great piece this weekend in the L.A. Times, about the future of journalism. It seems, in fact, that it may be able to find new life in this digital age.

It will be greatly helped by the efforts of ambitious and passionate ventures such as Byliner. The digital-only publisher is devoted to bringing long-form pieces of journalism into the new age by enlisting well-respected writers and creating inventive, interactive packages to complement stories. Byliner's newest offering, for example, is a piece by William T. Vollmann on the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. The piece is all the great writing one would expect from Vollmann, without any page or word limits, and with intense attention to aesthetic appeal.

It's exactly the sort of product that shows how great journalism can still be, and can be for the future. Check it out, it's sure to be an inspiring way to start your week.

William T. Vollmann's "Into the Forbidden Zone" is available on the Kindle and the iPad for $2.99.

-- Chau Tu

Check It. The Los Angeles Times' Pulitzer Prize-winning pieces.

It was announced yesterday that our very own Los Angeles Times had won the Pulitzer Prize gold medal for its coverage of the Bell city council corruption scandal. The paper also celebrated the feature photography award with Barbara Davidson, for her images of people recovering from gang violence.

It's been a tough couple of years for journalism, and particularly the L.A. Times, so it's really wonderful to know that good work is still being done out there, and being appreciated. Check out the award-winning stories on Bell here, and Davidson's photography here. And congrats!

-- Chau Tu

Check It. Longshot magazine.

To put it simply and obviously, the journalism business has been having a tough time. But every once in a while, there comes a spark of hope that maybe everything will be okay, that there are enough people with enough passion to get journalism through this rough patch. That latest spark is Longshot magazine.

Longshot is an experiment to create a magazine, start-to-finish, in a span of 48 hours. That involves everything from announcing a theme, to accepting submissions, and then actually designing a publication with art and graphics.

Sounds like a longshot, indeed, but alas, it happened. From August 27-29, people (they say hundreds) got together in San Francisco, Portland and Los Angeles (based in the GOOD offices here), and fueled with passion, sleeplessness and booze (the last two surely affecting one another) created Issue One of Longshot magazine. The theme was "Comeback," and features a number of great stories from writers all over the country.

And get this: everyone who worked on the issue is supposed to get paid. Not a lot, of course, but having a pay model at all these days is admirable in the least (but really, it's freaking magnanimous). But the money only comes through the profits, so go buy it already! Sixty beautiful, passion-filled pages for $11? It's worth believing in journalism.

Preview Issue One of Longshot magazine here, buy the issue here, and/or buy an accompanying T-shirt here.

-- Chau Tu

Check It. Pictures of the Year Intl at Annenberg Space for Photography.

One of my favorite things about attending classes in the Annenberg building at USC (go Trojans!) was an annual art exhibit that took over the lobby every winter. The Pictures of the Year International show features the best documentary photography from the past year, from all over the world and across all different sorts of categories, like nature and sports to contemporary news and wars. And no matter what the subject, all the photographs are somehow able to elicit strong emotions within you, whether it be happiness or sadness, or just simple awe. The photographers are usually from news outlets, which means they're right in the middle of the action, and taking you with them.

Luckily (unluckily?) for you, now you don't even have to get to the USC campus to check out this awesome show (plus it's not showing there anymore). The exhibit is now being presented at the Annenberg Space for Photography, a newish venue set in Century City, and it's all free. It's an exhibition that doesn't usually get so much hype, but trust me, once you've walked through it and experienced it once, you'll come to appreciate photography in such a different way afterward. Highly recommended!

The Annenberg Space for Photography is located at 2000 Avenue of the Stars in Century City, and the Pictures of the Year International exhibit lasts until Oct. 10.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Charles Ommanney, Getty Images; courtesy of Pictures of the Year International; Barack Obama backstage at the Capitol before bring sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.

Etc. Conor Friedersdorf's Best of Journalism in 2009.

(let's hope you're right, Dave)

As members and valiant supporters of the industry, we here at theBEAT surely recognize, acknowledge and are curious about the difficulties facing journalism these days. One thing we know for sure: although journalism may be having its identity/survival crises right now, that doesn't mean the stories being churned out by its hard-working loyalists are any less wonderful, inspiring or important.

Take for example, the latest list compiled by True/Slant's Conor Friedersdorf of the best journalism of 2009. Spread across newspapers, magazines, online and, yes, even radio (go TAL!), the pieces chosen here are those of a caliber that shouldn't be ignored, forgotten or dismissed. They remind you that indeed, there was a purpose to this poor trade, and goshdarnit if it ever ceases to exist or matter.

Take some time to appreciate not only the great stories being told literally in these pieces, but also the stories of the times and atmospheres from which they originated. And no matter what, these pieces really are worth perusing.

-- Chau Tu