Free or Cheap Software List for Convergence or Multimedia Journalism

In preparing for a presentation at the annual Texas Intercollegiate Press Association convention, I came across this list of free or cheap software that journalists or anyone can use to create multimedia content. The wonderful folks at the Knight Citizens News Network made this list possible...Check them out at http://www.kcnn.org/resources/journalism_training_sites/.

In the mean time, here's there list:

For Slideshows:

 

• Photo Peach--Easy online slideshow creator that rivals Soundslides. Upload photos and MP3s, then add effects to create audio/visual presentations. Free. http://photopeach.com/
• SoundSlides-- What many professional journalists use to create audio slideshows. A good tool, but the cost can be a burden. $39.95 or $69.95 for plus. http://www.soundslides.com/
• SlideShare-- An embeddable way to share presentations (PowerPoint, Keynote, etc…) online. Free. http://www.slideshare.net/
• Animoto-- Animoto creates music videos from your images and pictures, using free music. Free. http://animoto.com/
• VUVOX-- VUVOX allows you to create interactive slideshows and presentations from photos, video and music from Flickr, Picasa Web Albums, YouTube or Facebook. In beta. Free. http://www.vuvox.com/
• Animoto-- Animoto creates music videos from your images and pictures, using free music. Free. http://animoto.com/

For Photosharing:

• Splashup--If you’re used to Photoshop, you’ll love Splashup. With its similar layout and large range of tools, it’s a great alternative to paying for the real program. Free. http://www.splashup.com/
• FotoFlexer--Fotoflexer/Photobucket is a Photoshop-like service that allows you to crop, resize, rotate and flip photos, adjust hue, saturation, lightness and contrast, as well as apply various special effects. Free. http://fotoflexer.com/
• Photoshop-- The free version of Photoshop requires registration, but provides 2 GB of storage and all of the basic editing tools and effects of the full program. Free and paid. http://www.photoshop.com/
• Gimp Shop--A free version of Photoshop with not so many bells and whistles. Free. http://www.gimpshop.com/
• Dr. Pic-- Originally called Pic Resize, DrPic has a small range of basic, quick photo editing tools and effects. Free. http://www.drpic.com/
• Snipshot-- Options: resizing, cropping, enhancement features, exposure, contrast, saturation, hue and sharpness correction, rotation, grayscaling. Free. http://snipshot.com/
• Rsizr-- No fancy tools here - just cropping and resizing. Free. http://rsizr.com/
• Flickr-- Flickr is an image and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community platform. You can create a group for you community. Free. http://www.flickr.com/
• Picasa-- Picasa, like Flickr, is a software that helps you organize, edit, and share your photos. Powered by Google. Free. http://picasa.google.com/mac/
• PhotoFiltre-- Editing software that lets you crop, resize and apply effects to photos. An inexpensive alternative to Photoshop. Free. http://photofiltre.en.softonic.com/
• Sumo Paint-- Photo editing software, much like PhotoFiltre. Free. http://www.sumopaint.com/home/

For Audio Editing:

• Audio Editor-- Completely free PC software allows you to edit audio files visually, record audio from a microphone or any other available input device, apply various effects and burn audio CDs from MP3, WMA, WAV, and OGG. Free. http://www.free-audio-editor.com/index.htm
• Audacity--Free, open-source software for recording and editing sounds. It works on Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. Free. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
• Wavosaur— Free software for editing, processing and recording sounds. Free. http://www.wavosaur.com/
• Reaper-- A powerful audio editing software. Costs$50 non-commercial; $225 commercial. http://www.reaper.fm/
• GoldWave --Audio editor, recorder, converter, restoration and analysis software. Cost $49. http://www.goldwave.com/

 

Royalty-Free Music and Sounds:

• Incompetech--The Incompetech blog hosts royalty-free music for a wide variety of movie themes. Though everything on the site is free, donations are accepted. Free. http://incompetech.com/static/music/
• Flash Kit-- Flash Kit is a large archive for royalty-free audio loops that can be used in any Flash project. The site also allows you to submit your own loops and offers Flash tutorials as well. Free. http://www.flashkit.com/loops/
• Public Doman 4U--This huge database of public domain and free-with-artist-permission music includes its own last.fm radio station. Free. http://www.publicdomain4u.com/free-music-listings/
• Musopen--Musopen is a non-profit focused on improving access and exposure to music. It offers classical music files and the sheet music, available for free download. The database is searchable by composer, instrument, period and form. Free. http://www.musopen.com/
• Soundsnap--Soundsnap hosts content from the creators of Batman Begins, Million Dollar Baby, Ali, Happy Feet, Star Trek, The Addams Family, Tron, The Hunt for Red October and more. Free to browse and preview. $249 annual fee, unlimited sounds. http://www.soundsnap.com/
• FindSounds --From ferrets to Monty Python, you can search this enormous selection of over two million sound clips and effects in multiple file types and channels. Free. http://www.findsounds.com/
• Soungle-- Type any keyword into the search box to find a range of free, downloadable sound effects for use in audio and video projects. Free. http://soungle.com/
• Sound Jay-- Sound Jay contains a collection of free-of-charge and royalty-free sound effects - for personal use only, not further distribution. Free. http://www.soundjay.com/
• SoundClick-- You can find bands and full-length songs here to use in producing slideshows or video. All songs are available in streaming audio and most of the songs are also available as free legal MP3 downloads. Free. http://www.soundclick.com/
• Jamendo --Jamendo is a huge platform for free and legal music downloads. Available in seven languages, it offers the largest catalog of music under Creative Commons licenses. Free. http://www.jamendo.com/en/

 

For Video Editing and Converting:

• JayCut-- You can upload video from a camera, webcam or mobile phone and edit it on an easy, iMovie-like program. The finished video can be hosted by the service, downloaded to a PC or embedded on video social networks. Free. http://jaycut.com/
• VReveal-- VReveal, the second generation of FixMyMovie, allows you to stabilize, brighten, sharpen, add fun effects and more to your videos. For more effects and fixes, buy the premium version. Free.
• http://www.vreveal.com/
• Squared 5-- A powerful video converter, it gives users the ability to change one file type to another. It can also play and edit videos for both Mac and Windows. Free. http://www.squared5.com/