Thursday, August 16, 2012
How Can Social Media Help You Cover Protests?
The Poynter Institute asks that question of Los Angeles Times' reporter Kate Linthicum, who talks about how she used Twitter to help her get a handle on the Occupy movement.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Here are the New Media Reporting news blogs for summer, 2012:
Russell Allyn
Ruth Boyle
Theresa Cheng
Maria Colias
Collette DeBenedetto
Claire Doran
Donald Hughes
Alice Marsh-Elmer
Marisa Mostek
Lyndsey Nolan
Renae Punzalan
Rebecca Robledo
Claudia Silva
Daina Solomon
Mikaela Wolf
Russell Allyn
Ruth Boyle
Theresa Cheng
Maria Colias
Collette DeBenedetto
Claire Doran
Donald Hughes
Alice Marsh-Elmer
Marisa Mostek
Lyndsey Nolan
Renae Punzalan
Rebecca Robledo
Claudia Silva
Daina Solomon
Mikaela Wolf
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
UCLA Extension New Media Reporting Summer 2012: Week 5 Summary
During Week 5 we talked about digging into Facebook and Twitter to find out about subjects in the news.
In cases, for example, where someone dies, we can sometimes add the term "RIP" to their name and find pages dedicated to them, with photos, commentary and family history.
I used the case of a young man killed in a stabbing recently in Santa Monica. We used Facebook to discover a little about him, including that he and the suspect knew each other and went to high school together.
I got into aggregation more. I wanted to make the point that journalism has a history of aggregation. In Washington when the New York Times gets a huge scoop on the president, for example, often other outlets follow, crediting the paper. Contemporary aggregation is no less legitimate. In fact, with the ability to link, it's more so, as we're driving traffic to the source.
In local television news, outlets have long used a form of shadow aggregation: One station will jump on breaking news, City News Service, a pay-service wire, will pick it up, and the competition will break into programming to announce that "wire services are reporting" that a major event just happened. Yep.
But you can do better: One way is take a story that's already been developed and move it forward. Sometimes a phone call or two can "advance" the story, or give it an exclusive spin or scoop. Even though say, the Los Angeles Times discovered some news, you can be first to discover a new development. You still need to link to the originator, however.
In fact, if all you have is one source for your story, and it's another outlet and its well-done reporting, it's often the rule that you should just do a few grafs and then let readers find out more by jumping to the original via your embedded link.
Unless you have fresh info, expertise or a unique perspective on a story, a la Gawker, that's the way to go.
In cases, for example, where someone dies, we can sometimes add the term "RIP" to their name and find pages dedicated to them, with photos, commentary and family history.
I used the case of a young man killed in a stabbing recently in Santa Monica. We used Facebook to discover a little about him, including that he and the suspect knew each other and went to high school together.
I got into aggregation more. I wanted to make the point that journalism has a history of aggregation. In Washington when the New York Times gets a huge scoop on the president, for example, often other outlets follow, crediting the paper. Contemporary aggregation is no less legitimate. In fact, with the ability to link, it's more so, as we're driving traffic to the source.
In local television news, outlets have long used a form of shadow aggregation: One station will jump on breaking news, City News Service, a pay-service wire, will pick it up, and the competition will break into programming to announce that "wire services are reporting" that a major event just happened. Yep.
But you can do better: One way is take a story that's already been developed and move it forward. Sometimes a phone call or two can "advance" the story, or give it an exclusive spin or scoop. Even though say, the Los Angeles Times discovered some news, you can be first to discover a new development. You still need to link to the originator, however.
In fact, if all you have is one source for your story, and it's another outlet and its well-done reporting, it's often the rule that you should just do a few grafs and then let readers find out more by jumping to the original via your embedded link.
Unless you have fresh info, expertise or a unique perspective on a story, a la Gawker, that's the way to go.
UCLA Extension New Media Reporting Summer 2012: Week 4 Summary
During Week 4 we talked about what an ideal, "aggregated" story looks like. We noted that even the New York Times does this, drawing from diverse sources and using links, to create a well-informed piece.
We took a look at how some outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, use Storify to compile tweets about a news event.
I expressed my opinion that I liked it better if the compilation of such tweets were choreographed and guided by the author's voice and not just stacked.
We compared two broadcast sites, KTLA News and KPCC 89.3 FM, and talked about what they did and didn't do well. One common concern was their inability to translate their broadcast reporting expertise on the web, though KPCC was doing an interesting job of posting audio clips. The identity of the two sites was in question too: KTLA used a lot of national stories, but it's a local news operation on-air. KPCC was dry and statewide. We weren't sure what it wants to be.
We talked about why voice, snark and opinion is so crucial today: We're fighting for your attention, and there's a lot of competition. This explains the rise of sites like buzzfeed and Gawker.
We talked a little about how to use audio. If I get something good on audio, I like to upload it to Soundcloud and embed it in a story.
But with audio and video, I feel that the journalist has to lead the story with print-style reporting. Rarely does video or audio lead the show. Even when it does it needs to be explained by the author.
We took a look at how some outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, use Storify to compile tweets about a news event.
I expressed my opinion that I liked it better if the compilation of such tweets were choreographed and guided by the author's voice and not just stacked.
We compared two broadcast sites, KTLA News and KPCC 89.3 FM, and talked about what they did and didn't do well. One common concern was their inability to translate their broadcast reporting expertise on the web, though KPCC was doing an interesting job of posting audio clips. The identity of the two sites was in question too: KTLA used a lot of national stories, but it's a local news operation on-air. KPCC was dry and statewide. We weren't sure what it wants to be.
We talked about why voice, snark and opinion is so crucial today: We're fighting for your attention, and there's a lot of competition. This explains the rise of sites like buzzfeed and Gawker.
We talked a little about how to use audio. If I get something good on audio, I like to upload it to Soundcloud and embed it in a story.
But with audio and video, I feel that the journalist has to lead the story with print-style reporting. Rarely does video or audio lead the show. Even when it does it needs to be explained by the author.
UCLA Extension New Media Reporting Summer 2012: Week 3 Summary
During Week 3 we looked at how we can use Twitter to do reporting.
What is reporting? It's researching the facts of a story. While traditionally it involves interviews and digging for documents, the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Google can be used to source information.
ZabaSearch, Facebook, law enforcement inmate information sites and other databases can be used to background people as well.
Where do we get photos, video and audio? For photos, I search for Creative Commons images on Flickr and Wikipedia. For video, YouTube is king, but you can also find video (and photos, for that matter) that are perfectly okay to use on Twitter.
We talked about making sure to link to aggregated sources.
Using "block quotes" allows you to break up your copy so that it's not a boring block of words.
On deadline? Learn to type on your computer during phone interviews so you can quickly copy and paste info into your story.
Online interviewing is okay as a last result, but the biggest drawback is that it's hard to ask follow-up questions or pin someone down on a key point.
What is reporting? It's researching the facts of a story. While traditionally it involves interviews and digging for documents, the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Google can be used to source information.
ZabaSearch, Facebook, law enforcement inmate information sites and other databases can be used to background people as well.
Where do we get photos, video and audio? For photos, I search for Creative Commons images on Flickr and Wikipedia. For video, YouTube is king, but you can also find video (and photos, for that matter) that are perfectly okay to use on Twitter.
We talked about making sure to link to aggregated sources.
Using "block quotes" allows you to break up your copy so that it's not a boring block of words.
On deadline? Learn to type on your computer during phone interviews so you can quickly copy and paste info into your story.
Online interviewing is okay as a last result, but the biggest drawback is that it's hard to ask follow-up questions or pin someone down on a key point.
UCLA Extension New Media Reporting Summer 2012: Week 2 Summary
During Week 2 we talked about why chronological blogging works.
We compared the traditional dry, "pyramid" style of newspapering to the modern, more conversational style of blog writing.
The pyramid style has its roots in using the teletype machine to transmit information in a brief and compact manner. Additionally, newsprint space and being fair and balanced were paramount issues.
Today the unlimited space of blogs, along with the myriad of competition, mean that dry, compact, fair, balanced information is taking a backseat to attitude, opinion, voice and snark.
It doesn't mean that we should be unfair. But it does mean that one blog post can tell one side of a story, and another can tell another side of it.
We talked a little about why using keywords, including proper names and places, are so important to headlines. They attract Google.
Where do we find news these days? Everywhere, but especially on Twitter, Facebook and other sites.
We compared the New York Times to Gawker. Different, yes, but Gawker points to that voice-heavy, aggregated future.
We compared the traditional dry, "pyramid" style of newspapering to the modern, more conversational style of blog writing.
The pyramid style has its roots in using the teletype machine to transmit information in a brief and compact manner. Additionally, newsprint space and being fair and balanced were paramount issues.
Today the unlimited space of blogs, along with the myriad of competition, mean that dry, compact, fair, balanced information is taking a backseat to attitude, opinion, voice and snark.
It doesn't mean that we should be unfair. But it does mean that one blog post can tell one side of a story, and another can tell another side of it.
We talked a little about why using keywords, including proper names and places, are so important to headlines. They attract Google.
Where do we find news these days? Everywhere, but especially on Twitter, Facebook and other sites.
We compared the New York Times to Gawker. Different, yes, but Gawker points to that voice-heavy, aggregated future.
Assignments for Summer of 2012
Assignments for New Media Reporting:
Week 1: Compare a day's front pages from Gawker and the New York Times. Write a few paragraphs about the differences in tone, subject matter and presentation. 50 points.
Week 2: Read and analyze three days worth of posts on the blog LA Observed and summarize your thoughts in three or more paragraphs. Also, set up your blogs and post your work there. 100 points.
Week 3: Use Twitter and Creative Commons photos to produce a story with photos based on information, at least in part, you reported via Twitter. 100 points.
Week 4: Write a post about the latest developments in a hot story. Use three sources, including an original interview, video/audio and links. 100 points.
Week 5: Write a true-crime story using original reporting (an interview or email Q&A). You can base it on an existing story or press release, using those to advance the tale, but make sure it's about something current. 150 points.
Week 6: Make a video and post it to your blog. It can be a soundbite of an interview or a shot of a news scene. It should be set up with text to provide context but you don't have to write a complete story. We just want to see your video. 100 points.
Week 7: Write a news story/post. You can aggregate it. But you need to promote it via Facebook and Twitter. And you need to get someone to comment on it. 50 points.
Week 8: Read a free excerpt of Chris Anderson's book Free and write a short essay arguing for or against pay walls for news websites. 50 points.
Week 1: Compare a day's front pages from Gawker and the New York Times. Write a few paragraphs about the differences in tone, subject matter and presentation. 50 points.
Week 2: Read and analyze three days worth of posts on the blog LA Observed and summarize your thoughts in three or more paragraphs. Also, set up your blogs and post your work there. 100 points.
Week 3: Use Twitter and Creative Commons photos to produce a story with photos based on information, at least in part, you reported via Twitter. 100 points.
Week 4: Write a post about the latest developments in a hot story. Use three sources, including an original interview, video/audio and links. 100 points.
Week 5: Write a true-crime story using original reporting (an interview or email Q&A). You can base it on an existing story or press release, using those to advance the tale, but make sure it's about something current. 150 points.
Week 6: Make a video and post it to your blog. It can be a soundbite of an interview or a shot of a news scene. It should be set up with text to provide context but you don't have to write a complete story. We just want to see your video. 100 points.
Week 7: Write a news story/post. You can aggregate it. But you need to promote it via Facebook and Twitter. And you need to get someone to comment on it. 50 points.
Week 8: Read a free excerpt of Chris Anderson's book Free and write a short essay arguing for or against pay walls for news websites. 50 points.
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