Online Journalism

Microblogging

“its a great way to she a link to the article you’ve written,” Alana Taylor.

• Microblogging is an instant messaging journal.
• Can be done by texting, instant messaging, e-mail, digital audio or by posting to the web.
• Compared to being in a big room with lots of people you like and that like you and everyone is discussing on the topic.

Twitter is the most popular.

1. ability to maintain constant connection with others with out direct communication
2. ability to maintain constant connection with many people at once unlike e-mail or the phone
3. each update is significant and important information to someone

It is important because:

1. keeping the public updated
2. different ways to be “intouch” with the news and events of the world
3. can be a form of emergency information to the public
4. its effective for immediate breaking news
5. its away to broadcast what we’re doing
6. its away to keep people safe

Microblogging is away to:

• Keep the public as a unity
• its immediate so the people are constantly being updated and can be up to speed on the world
• its away to keep faithful followers; by giving back without taking too much.

Build your Network:

• Find people to follow
• follow others and they can follow you back
• new posts will appear on your twitter and update your followers and your friends, others can see this and then follow you too
• When you find others with good information follow them and share with your friends, they can see this and then will follow you

Having nothing to say:

• You can not have nothing to say
• Twitter only has 140 characteristics available…
• This forces you to post the most important info
• Include a link so if they would like they can see the whole story

“Journalism is constantly changing.”

This is how guest speaker Jon DeNunzio, user engagement editor for washingtonpost.com, started off his presentation that was given to our Comm. 361 class.

DeNunzio gave us some interesting background information about himself to begin:

• Worked for a few small papers after college
• 1994: Started at The Washington Post
• 2000-2007: Covered high school sports at the Post
• 2007-2010: Web sports editor
• April 2010: User engagement editor for washingtonpost.com

He gave a very good list as to WHY we use social media that included:

• It’s where the users are
• It helps our reporting
• It allows us to build a relationship with users

A very bold statement that he said in conjunction with Marshall McLuhan‘s very famous “The medium is the message” quote in stating:

“It’s not the media, it’s the social.” – DeNunzio

His point to that statement was to be social with your users whenever you can.

Examples of this are:

1. Running a poll
2. Paying attention to comments
3. Asking for ideas
4. Asking for photos
5. Hosting a debate

Bottom line is to make it clear how you utilize programs to connect with people.

Here are some helpful websites DeNunzio presented to us:

• Blackbirdpie
• Intersect
• Surveygizmo

This chapter goes in deep about how to make sound… more than sound… but making it visible. At first I thought I already knew the answer to such an amazing question… video!

But I was sure wrong.

As somebody who is really into recording and audio stuff, It was kinda neat to see different ways I could take what I already know, and use it on the field when reporting.

These three things that are important to audio journalism made a lot of sense;

-Presence, Using your voice and overall persona to entice the audience

-Emotion, Tone of voice and deep pauses can enhance what ever your trying to tell your audience.

-Atmosphere, using natural sounds, like screaming people and bombs in the background, can make your story much more interesting.

This chapter also made me realize the importance of podcasting (something I’ve never gotten into, but probably should to help my reporting).

I didn’t like how it tried to sell you different devices in the book, there are plenty of better equipment out there that would be much cheaper and easier to use… unless your trying to record a metal band or something. or an iphone. The end of the chapter seemed like a commercial, I mean… I already bought the book!

Now enjoy these sweet photos

Audio is a very powerful tool when used right. What makes audio effective is that it is a more personal experience than video or text generally is: Usually listeners are alone (in a car or in their room), so that makes it more personable. Audio is not only for the car, though;  it can be used for a podcast or slideshow, for example. Today NPR leads the industry of audio journalism.

Here’s what makes good audio journalism:

• Script: Even though it may seem like it’s okay to just ‘wing it,’ having a script is a good idea so that the audio sounds more professional.
• Practice: Find out which questions yield the best results by asking your questions before recording so that you know which questions were the best to ask, then ask the best questions again when you record.
• Finding the right spots: There should be minimal background noise, such as traffic or crowds, wherever you record.
• Natural noise: Use natural sounds that make the story more authentic, such as puppies barking at a pet adoption event.
• Be a performer: You have to keeps things interesting to hook your audience, so be enthusiastic and get their attention.

Integrating Social Media into your journalism

Everything is changing. Journalism is not what it was.

He worked at small companies and transitioned to bigger through experience. Focuses on sports and then transitioned to web sports editor and has stayed on the digital side.

early expereiments shows where tweets are showing up and showing where they are in what section. -never reached enough people.

Many more options today,

storify

intersect

WHYYYYY we use social media

It’s where users are

it helps our reporting

it allllows us to build a relationship with users

its an art! not a science!

Third-party platforms: not the only way!

-interaction from your audience is key

TWIIGS.com great for polls

Ignore at your own peril!

Jon DeNunzio

User Engagement Editor Jon DeNunzio of the Washington Post

• Former Web Sports Editor
• Former Prep Sports Editor
• Didn’t major in journalism (Graduated from the University of Virginia in 1991)
• Went to the Washington Post in 1994

Integrating Social Media into Your Journalism:

In Nationals Park in summer 2009, DeNunzio worked with the Post to channel tweets from attendants at the Park onto a single Web site. The idea never really took off, but it’s a great idea nonetheless. Perhaps with a tweaked formula, it would’ve skyrocketed.

Another idea Denunzio incorporated into some Post stories includes adding a question at the end of some stories, asking readers to tweet their answers. For instance, “What happens when mean girls grow up?” This would work ridiculously well with my story on the football team! Being that George Mason has the largest head count of students than any other school in Virginia, this story, without a doubt, would blow up on Twitter.

The two big I’s of Internet are Immediacy and Interactivity.

WHY WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA:

• It’s where users are
• It allows us to build a relationship with users
• It helps our reporting

Marshall McLuhan said that “the medium is the message.”

“No, it’s the social, the social media,” Denunzio said. He said that you don’t have to use social media in order to be social.

DeNunzio’s point, simply put: Be social with your users whenever you can.

• Use a poll (Twiigs.com, DeNunzio suggests, is totally worth it)
• Pay attention to comments
• Ask for ideas (AllOurIdeas.org)
• Ask for photos
• Host a debate
• Answer user questions
• Use the knowledge of the crowd

WHY HE’S TALKING ABOUT THIS:

• Come up with ideas to connect with users! It will put you ahead of the crowd.
• Because of the Internet and because of its interactivity, we must take advantage of the users on it.
• User engagement and data visualization are key nowadays. Do not underestimate or ignore them.
• Startupli.st

Jon DeNunzio

• Be social with your users whenever you can. (ie- polls)
• Pay attention to the comments
• Ask for ideas (allourideas.org)
• Ask for photos
• Answer user questions
• Use the knowledge of the crowd

DeNunzio is the User Engagement editor of the Washington post.

He works on team of about  9 people handling inner activity, handle in an editorial way, user comments, live Q & A’s, polls, user photo galleries)

Jon DeNunzio, user engagement editor at the Washington Post, visited out COMM 361 class on March 3 to discuss the value of integrating social media into journalism.

Why use social media?

• Receive consumer feedback
• Reach broad audiences
• Increase interactivity; users/audiences want to be part of the news
• It’s where the users are – cannot expect they’ll go to your main site
• Assist journalist with reporting
• Builds relationship with users; users/audiences want to be talked to and to talk back
• It allows us to build relationship with users – want to talk to and talk back; can help bring trust back

Be social with users.

• Run a poll (SurveyGizmo or Twiigs)
• Pay attention to comments
• Ask for ideas (AllOurIdeas)
• Answer user questions
• Use the knowledge of the crowd, aka “crowd-sourcing”

There are many ways to connect with users/audiences.

• Tweet callouts/displays
• Twitter’s Blackbird Pie
• Storify – for fun, “talky” stories or hard news
• Intersect – tie together stories, time & location
• Mashable – a multimedia tool
• TechCrunch – a multimedia tool
• UMapper – build a map and put Tweets into it

Why college students should care.

• Very few people can contribute an idea about how they can really connect with users
• Journalism is constantly changing, especially on the digital side