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Creative Commons

     Kaiser Wahab’s Mar. 24 article “How the Web Has Changed Our Perception of Copyright Law” on Mashable.com discusses the slow pace of legislation and how private and government interests are aggressively “pushing the envelope” to combat the continuing problem of copyright infringement on the Internet.

“Hurt Locker” lawsuits: example of file sharing suits where content creators file claims against individual defendants

• Filed on behalf of producers against thousands of anonymous downloaders
• “U.S. Copyright Group Law” firm subpoenaed ISPs to discover downloaders’ true identities

Courts forced to address following issues:

• Should courts file suits against thousands of geographically disperse defendants?
• Privacy: Do courts have authority to force others/ISPs to reveal defendants’ identities?
• Mass Joinder: Can courts join thousands in a single suit when facts are different for each one?
• Amount/size of monetary awards? — movement to lower damages since many people sued don’t profit from infringement — juries still awarding plaintiffs large settlements

U.S. Government Position:

• “The violent pace at which the Internet can facilitate infringement demands swift and coordinated enforcement.”
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

             + Last year began obtaining warrants to shut down domain names hosting/linking to infringing content/products

              + Raised concerns due to innocent sites being shut down and lack of due process (no notice of seizure warrants)

• Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA):

              + Introduced last year in Senate

              + Allows Attorney General to bring a shut down order against any domain name “dedicated to infringing activities” — how do you define this standard?

Conclusion:

• “Copyright enforcement is the battle front du jour”
• Government expermenting with aggressive enforcement strategies at expense of free speech, due process and fair play

Wikipedia

“There is no such thing as information overload, only filter failure.” 

Digitize your life: use digital tools + services to manage your day without drowning in e-mails, status updates, blogposts, etc. 

Digitize your journalism: use technology to improve productivity + make journalism more meaningful to audience 

Your Digital Life: 

• Organize e-mail

              – “Inbox Zero” — look at each e-mail message only once 

              – Spend two minutes or less per e-mail 

              – If you can’t reply in less than two minutes, file it for later 

              – Goal — zero e-mails in inbox after e-mail session 

• Find right personal productivity tools:

              – Develop a strategy 

                 * What you need to manage + the right tools to manage it = personal productivity 

                 * Variables to consider when using tools: 

                     1. How much are you willing to pay? — many solutions are free 

                     2. Do you need to integrate with other systems or with a mobile device? 

                     3. Do you need an offline solution? 

                 *Investigate possible solutions: 

                   1. Office suites: Google, Office Live, Zoho  

                   2. Specialized solutions: Instapaper, Remember The Milk, Oh don’t forget, Evernote, Jott, Dropbox, Backpack, Basecamp, Socrata, MindMeister 

                   3. Latest tips and info: www.lifehacker.com, www.43folders.com, mashable.com/category/productivity-lists 

              – Bring order to your contacts: 

                 * Use digital, not paper-based, information storage systems 

                 * News organization can build reader database from e-mail addresses from readers/by advertising and inviting readers to join 

                 * Reader networks used effectively in many situations, especially when sources or feedback are needed 

              – Bring order to your work: 

                 * Project management programs allow you to assign tasks, share files, establish deadlines and include notes (Basecamp, Zoho) 

                 * Can be used to track all kinds of projects 

                 * Take courses/read books on project management 

Data-Driven Journalism: 

* Using databases, spreadsheets and other forms of structured or fielded data in news coverage or story development 

* Almost any assignment can be broken down into datapoints + organized for customized manipulation 

* Most daily newspapers have event calendar databases; visitors can access most recent information at any time; event planners can add events directly into database 

• Why is data-driven journalism important?

              – News organizations are making their Web sites data destinations, providing information to audiences in a searchable database format while streamlining their own operation and cutting down on data entry 

• Every story is a field of data — can break any story into separate fields for analysis and entry into a spreadsheet or database online
• Telling stories with data:

              – Use data to create “alternate story form” for print edition 

              – Break down information into common parts — subject, location, date, action — build information resource that grows as you gather more 

              – Databases can help solve problem of slowly developing stories    

              – Helping reporters do their jobs: 

                 * Computer algorithms sort through databased information much more quickly than human investigative reporter 

                 * Reporter can use database to discover potential story leads that might never have been found 

                 * Often leads to great stories  

              – Sharing data: 

                 * Application Program Interface (API): allows anyone to tap into data and build tools and Web pages; connection of data and technology between two different Web sites 

                 * Closed systems + absolute control over content don’t work in digital information ecosystem 

                 * U.S. government created Web site at USASpending.gov  that allows journalists to mix and mash all that data with other information sources according to their own specific focus 

Building Spreadsheets, Databases: 

•   Creating a spreadsheet easy

               – Often easier to use a spreadsheet as first step to creating database 

               – Sometimes a spreadsheet is all you need 

               – When setting up a spreadsheet, include as many fields as possible 

               – Fielded data is key to sorting efficiently + being able to group items 

               – Use Excel or Google Docs to create spreadsheets 

Moving from spreadsheet to relational database: 

• Turn”flat” list into relational database
• “Relational” — one type of information relates to another
• Database allows you to view each record as its own page
• Software solutions can help build database once information is in spreadsheet (Microsoft Access for Windows + FileMaker for Mac;  free online solutions Socrata, Zoho or Grubba)

Map Mashups merge data from different sources: 

* Product of taking physical location data (addresses, points on a map) and organizing them based on a category/information type 

* People have created map mashups with Google, Yahoo and Microsoft maps for everything from pub crawls to tracking buses in Bangalore 

• Map mashups tell stories, too:

              – Heavy on manual labor 

              – Homicides: example of ongoing stories that benefit from use of data visualization + power of capturing information + sorting it into right buckets 

              – If structure for data done correctly, computer software makes it easy to update + produce 

• Applications in breaking news:

              – Databases and maps can be used for breaking news stories 

Build An Interactive Map With Data: 

* Build own map mashup with actual code or third-party service 

* Free online services will build map for you (MapBuilder.net, ZeeMaps, MapAlist.com, UMapper, and Google’s My Maps) 

• Think beyond single-use maps:

              – News organizations discovering power of building entire data ecosystems from geographically based journalism, data and user-submitted content 

              – Some local newspapers have projects that display several types of news and information based on geography 

              – Instead of a single-use map mashup, Web audience can see data feeds + recent news stories based on location 

              – The best allow audience to contribute information to share with the neighborhoods — a one-stop shopping for news and information tailored to your geography  

• Location-aware devices changing the game:

              – Displaying information, or interacting with audience, based on geography is powerful new frontier for many local news organizations 

              – Can reach growing portion of audience that carries GPS-enabled mobile phone depending on where they happen to be 

              – Location changes everything: inputs + outputs

              – Locative technology demands different presentation (non-linear) because it’s a different experience for the user 

Better Life, Better Journalism: 

• “Data literacy more important now”
• “Beat reporters should know how to obtain, analyze and write about data on their beats”
• Get the most out of data — store electronically then convert, organize, update and enhance 

Creative Commons

Video storytelling:  

The Digital Video Revolution:  Cheap digital video cameras and free video-editing software ushered in the video age 

• Impact: millions of amateurs worldwide publishing frequently
• Versatile form of journalism: VJs — video/backpack journalists — work solo as both reporter and videographer

             1. Quality varies — differences deliberate, audience knows what to expect 

             2. Perfection not necessary  

                  * Quick, less polished video content often draws bigger audiences  

                  * Unedited video streams becoming common practice  

                  * “It’s shot vérité style.”   

             3. “The only way to learn video journalism is by doing it.”  

Plan Your Video and Go:  

• Use different approaches for different projects

              1. Documentary-style video story; breaking news and highlights clips  

              2. Breaking news: witnesses/investigators’ reactions, footage of scene

              3. Press conferences for compelling news events make good video  

              4. Highlight clips, especially in sports, among most popular content; isolate short clips of best action edited together with voice-over descriptions or linked to news story as raw clips with captions

              5. Documentary-style video story — requires more planning; storyboards  

• Try storyboarding

             1. Visual sketch of story, separated into parts so it can be organized  

             2. Think about focus of story: main idea you want to get across  

             3. Interviews/demonstration sequences (A-roll) + environmental footage (B-roll) support and explain main idea  

             4. No artistic talent necessary — use stick figures  

             5. Can rearrange pieces to tell more effective story  

             6. Adapt shooting to what will make most compelling story  

             7. Have idea of what story is  

             8. Make mental list of shots and interviews needed to tell story effectively  

             9. Bookends (opening and ending shots) really important  

            10. Can update storyboard after shooting video and before editing  

• Mix shots

              1. Beginner mistake — overuse of zooming and panning  

              2. Collect sequences of wide, medium and tight shots  

              3. Wide-angle/establishing shots give viewers sense of the environment  

              4. Medium shots give the viewer normal view  

              5. Close-ups: zoom first, then record  

              6. “Blank” shots of location/setting for natural sound  

• Build five-shot sequences:  shoot in exactly this order and get usable material everytime; shoot steady — no panning or zooming

             1. Close-up on the hands  

             2. Close-up on the face  

             3. Wide shot  

             4. Over-the-shoulder shot  

             5. Creative shot from different angle  

Voice in Video:  

• Effective video interviewing

             1. Select right location —  complements story topic; makes subject comfortable; ask for permission to tape if on private property  

             2. Sound and lighting — some environmental noise OK if subject wears wireless mic; pick location that fully lights subject  

             3. Capture first response and body language  

             4. Interviewer must remain silent while subject is speaking   

• Use a stand-up

             1. Content: short with important or interesting details  

             2. Write a script, warm up: or jot down outline with major points  

             3. Be stable, breathe easy: stand/sit straight; don’t move shoulders while talking; breathe from stomach/diaphram  

             4. Talk with hands: looks less formal; use sparingly so it’s not distracting  

• Control story with voice-overs

Gear Up and Get Out There:  

• Camera choices

              1. Flip cameras — a staple in beginning video journalist’s toolbox  

              2. Point-and-shoot digital photo camera with video mode  

• Video camera shopping questions (don’t buy more camera than you need):

              1. Media type — one that uses mini-DV tapes or solid-state memory card  

              2. High def — could present problems with storage and processing  

              4. Editing software — compatible with camera and computer  

              5. Accessories — cost can be half the camera cost  

                    * Tapes and batteries  

                       – Completely charge batteries several hours ahead  

                       – Use largest-capacity battery available; keep factory one for backup  

                      – Have enough mini-DV tape/storage capacity on cards for job 

                    * Microphones  

                    * Tripod: makes videography look professional  

                    * Headphones: listen to make sure you’re recording good audio  

                    * Lighting  

                        – Essential to shooting video  

                        – Most options clip into a “shoe” on top of camera  

                        – Increases drain on battery   

Shooting Good Video:  

• Focus: use automatic focus unless you have photography skills
• Zoom

             1. Set before recording; use only when necessary as slowly as possible  

             2. Never zoom when someone is talking  

             3. Do separate shots if you want different angles and compositions  

• Exposure

             1. Automatic works in most situations  

             2. If light especially low, switch to manual to open iris + let in more light  

• Aim for solid, not spectacular, clips

              1. Be selective  

              2. Avoid panning and zooming  

              3. Hold all shots at least fifteen seconds — helps in editing process  

              4. Be silent — won’t be able to edit out unwanted audio  

              5. Framing and composing — follow “rule of thirds”  

• Get good audio: choose best microphone for job

              1. Built-in mic: best for sporting events, fairs and festivals  

              2. Wireless mic/lavalier: best for interviews  

              3. Shotgun mic: best for capturing conversation among several people  

• Mix in still images: screenshots/mug shots can be used in print to tease to the online video package or on Web site as promotional icon

Working with Digital Video Files: editing best way to improve shooting  

• Keep it short
• Choose editing software

              1. Most computers have video-editing program already installed  

              2. Programs also available on the market to give professional results  

• Practice visual storytelling

              1. Tell a story  

                   * Arrange clips in coherent, interesting order  

                   * Run audio of interview or voice-over “under” the video  

                   * Keep it short and to the point  

              2. Lessons to learn  

                   * Hook audience and define story in first 20 seconds  

                   * Have a beginning, middle and end  

                   * Use many short clips so viewer won’t be bored  

                   * Focus on one central idea  

                   * Better characters = better stories  

                   * Show viewer what subjects are talking about  

Publishing Video Online:  

* Most video files too large to publish unless compressed  

*Video-sharing services compress files, publish them in universal Flash video format  

* Best approach — content delivery network (Brightcove or Akamai), or free video-sharing service (YouTube, Vimeo, Blip.tv and Metacafe) — take video files, convert to Flash, offer embed codes so you can publish them on your Web site  

* Before uploading video file: use editing program Export function, find link to Settings, make adjustments to ensure highest quality  

• Can also do your own compression

              1. Need Web server with ample bandwidth and storage  

              2. Factor in additional compression file will receive before publication by video-sharing site  

              3. Higher quality = larger file size = longer upload  

• Seek viral video distribution

             1. Web sites like YouTube and Vimeo can help distribute video and get it seen by more people because they have larger audiences and more search engine visibility  

             2. Embed codes make it easy for others to help distribute video  

             3. Recommended: Web service called TubeMogul automatically uploads your video to as many as 20 different video-sharing sites

NOTE:  Anyone who has taken COMM 360 or COMM 353 can relate to the following:

Creative Commons

freepress.net

Dan Rather, former anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and special correspondent for HD Net, where he is the managing editor of “Dan Rather Reports,” sounded the death knell for the traditional evening news broadcast.

“The evening news is what the Mafia would call a walking corpse,” said Rather.  “It’s pretty much dead, but it doesn’t realize it yet.”

On Feb. 24 Rather joined Steve Scully, the political editor for the C-SPAN networks, and participating students from George Mason University, Purdue University, the University of Denver and Georgetown University.

Rather gave several reasons for the decline of the old media:  corporatization of news and the subsequent lack of competition; the politicization and manipulation of the news by media savvy politicians; and the lack of guts exhibited by individual journalists themselves.

“American journalism needs a spine transplant,” said Rather.  “We’ve lost some of our courage.”

studentsforliberty.org

Tucker Carlson, founder and editor-in-chief of the “Daily Caller,” heartily agreed.

“The best journalism is tough, and it pays no regard to authority and doesn’t suck up to power,” said Carlson.  “The essential problem in American journalism is the unwillingness to take on figures in authority.”

Rather took a minute to define the news.

“News is something that is important that people need to know, that somewhere, somebody — particularly somebody in power — doesn’t want them to know,” said Rather.  “All the rest is pretty much just advertising.”

Both Rather and Carlson are veteran journalists.  News matters to them.  It makes a difference.  Journalism gives them a sense of contributing to something greater than themselves.  When asked what makes a good reporter, Rather was specific.

“I’d say three things,” said Rather, “curiosity, a kind of relentless determination and the ability to write well and quickly.”

Rather has reported on a number of traumatic events — the American Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Watergate and 9/11.  When an event like this happens professionals feel the same emotions as everyone else.

“As a professional, as a pro, you have to seal out all your emotions and focus on the job at hand,” said Rather.  “It’s later that you go through the emotional trauma that other people are going through as it’s happening.”

We have progressed from the radio age to the television age to the age of the Internet.  According to Carlson, the biggest problem with online media is a lack of money.  This affects national news coverage.

“For example, there’s never been a greater need for digging deep, exposing corruption, finding out what those in power don’t want you to know,” said Rather.  “Investigative journalism is extremely expensive.  It’s a danger to the country because the new business model has not been invented, much less put online.”

Lack of money also affects international news.

“At the very time we need more international news, we’re getting less and less,” said Rather.  “Bureaus have closed all over the world.  We have news packagers, not news gatherers.”

Carlson says the challenge today is finding young, intelligent, unbiased reporters with a passion for news to join a profession that offers big salaries only to a select few.

Produced by C-SPAN, the distance learning course is a unique opportunity for students to interview guests via video conference.  The course airs on C-SPAN on Fridays at 5 p.m. and also streams online (http://www.c-span.org/Distance_Learning/). 

sharenator.com

• “Quality content published in some significant quantity, and engineered to be easily found in search engines, is a recipe for a successful digital publishing business.”
• Capture new online readership with useful and engaging tags
• Good writing still prevails
• Analyze what your readers like and don’t like, then do more of what they like

• Fundamentals of building online audience:

             1. Tracking your content  

             2. Web analytics  

             3. Search engine optimization  

             4. Effective headline writing for the Web  

             5. Distribution through social media  

Measuring journalism:  

• Newsrooms now track and measure everything they do
• Essential to competing
• Producing work product on regular schedule vital to business
• No business, no paychecks

Track all that you publish:  

• Productivity is one of the key measurements for managers
• Tracking content published is a smart business strategy
• Easiest way to track is with a Web-based spreadsheet; updating the information can be distributed; spreadsheet will do math for you

How to set benchmarks:  

• Create benchmarks that become goals to aim for
• After tracking content, goals should evolve to include other measurements like audience numbers, revenue and audience satisfaction metrics
• At Google, they call this process OKR, “objectives and key results”
• Most important metrics are revenue and unique users
• Establishing benchmarks and goals done on a case-by-case basis
• Goals should include more than numbers of pageviews — Are there new advertisers? Is the audience happy?

Track your audience — to know what your audience is consuming:  

• Use Web analytics software to track Web site traffic

             1. Commercial systems charge monthly fees but allow real-time traffic  

                 reporting  

             2. Free programs provide detailed traffic reporting but update only once

                 every 24 hours  

             3. Built-in tools offered by the content management software or hosting  

                 service you’re using  

             4. Google Analytics: free Web-based tracking service almost as powerful as

                 any commercial traffic service  

             5. Clicky offers a low-cost service that will give you real-time tracking  

             6. Check out Site Meter and StatCounter  

• Identify key data points — measurements that give you the best gauge of how

             site is performing

             1. Pageviews: the total of Web pages viewed in a given time period; how  

                content is ranked in terms of popularity; if site is supported with

                advertising,  this is also directly related to the inventory the site has

                to offer prospective advertisers  

             2. Visits and unique visitors compared: visits is the number of times  

                 everyone accesses a Web site; pageviews divided by visits equals  

                 average number of pages viewed per visit  

             3. Engagement and referrers: engagement is the amount of time spent on  

                 the site by each user; tracking referrers tells you where your traffic is  

                 coming from  

             4. Context and perspective are important when you use Web metrics to  

                  make journalistic decisions  

Search engine optimization (SEO):  

• Understand search engines

              1. Spiders and robots: small computer programs sent out by search  

                  engines to crawl the Internet and track and record information found  

                  on Web pages; programmed to look for new pages or new information  

                  and send back reports for indexing  

              2. Indexing: larger programs that take information sent from spiders and  

                  robots and build large database files with references to all the content  

                  connected to the right links; catalogue of the Web  

              3. Queries: when you type a keyword search into the home page of a search  

                  engine you are making a query of that search engine’s database; the  

                  index is searched for the most relevant results for your keywords      

• SEO for journalists:

             1. Search engines rank results, usually displaying 10 results per page 

             2. Google gives more importance to a Web site that other sites are linking to  

                  — phenomenon called “Google juice”  

             3. Majority of Web searchers don’t go past first page of results, so having  

                 your Web site among first 10 helps grow your audience  

             4. If journalists understand the basics of writing search engine-friendly  

                 headlines, they can drive more audience to news and information  

Use SEO to grow your audience by putting words on your Web pages you think a prospective reader would type into a search engine while looking for an article on that subject  

• Grow audience with content and links:

              1. Content is king  

              2. Linking is queen — make anything important a link off the home page  

                  because search engines give greater values to those links  

              3. Make sure your links make sense — use descriptive links  

              4. Title tags — search engines give a lot of credence to them               

              5. HTML meta tags provide information about Web page that doesn’t

                  actually display for the user; good idea to put a few relevant

                  keywords here  

Grow audience with video SEO:  

              1. Video is the largest audience growth segment  

              2. Newspapers’ effectiveness at making video content available in

                  search engines “nowhere near their potential;” also perform poorly

                  in social media sites  

              3. Lack of on-site search engine to distinguish, filter and display video  

                  content leads to a “video ghetto” that can make video difficult to find   

                  on many news sites  

• Write effective Web headlines:

              1. Basic SEO is the conduit between an audience and content  

              2. The secret to the power of the headline and why it determines the  

                  effectiveness of the entire piece — on average, eight out of 10 people  

                  will read a headline, but only two out of 10 will read the rest  

              3. Thought and strategy must be put into headline writing  

              4. Write for readers and robots:  

                    * For readers: Web headlines should be simple, literal and direct; must  

                       motivate readers to click the mouse  

                    * For robots: if headline contains search keywords repeated elsewhere  

                       on the page, the story will aquire more Google juice and return higher  

                       on search pages  

              5. Make good headlines better:  

                    * Keywords — write for readers with Google in mind  

                    * Use conversational langauge — be direct, focus on the unique  

                    * Don’t be afraid to inject a little attitude — be fair, not boring  

Use social media as distribution channels:  

• Target specific channels: commenting and linking are effective ways to get others to view, link and comment on your journalism and become part of your community

             1. Blogs: read and contribute to blogs that write about same things you do  

             2. Flickr, YouTube, etc.: follow channles and streams of people who post  

                 content related to what you cover and link to them on your site  

             3. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.: make sure people can get your news  

                  through these popular platforms  

             4. Digg, reddit, Fark, StumbleUpon, etc.: social news and bookmarking

                 sites can provide significant short-term boost in traffic;  converting them  

                 into loyal audience is challenge  

• Increase social capital:

             1. Journalists earn social capital — becoming the trusted center for a  

                 community — by engaging in multiple channels  

             2. Participating in social media forces you into having a two-way   

                 conversation  

             3. Social media puts a face on a news organization

             4. Reminds readers journalists are part of the community  

             5. Those who can build bridges back to the community they cover have best  

                 chance of increasing their audience  

Track, measure, distribute, adapt:  

• Helps you discover new stories and provides more context for your journalism

http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/myth-social-media-expert/

 

• How do journalists participate without sacrificing objectivity or credibility?
• What about legal and ethical issues?
• What happens if the audience doesn’t participate?

News as a conversation:

• Many journalists preferred news as a lecture
• Editors have to develop cheerleader and outreach skills
• Online commentary is a bete noire — participants are rarely as constructive or respectful as journalists would like
• Beyond interactivity, the power of transparency makes online comments worth the investment

Making conversation provides journalists with a lot more sources

• Conversing through comments:

              1. Most online news stories contain a comments link

              2. Audience always chooses what kind of journalism it wants

              3. Rarely do controversial conversations end up in court since prior restraint

                   has been ruled unconstitutional

              4. “Today, there is vastly more interaction between the social Web and the

                   news Web than ever before.”  

• Conversing through social networking:

              1. A new way to connect with people and communicate information, but the

                   standards and values of journalism do not change

              2. Benefits to news as a conversation:

                   * Provides transparency on the reporting process

                   * Enables an immediate feedback loop

                   * Spreads awareness of news coverage through word-of-mouth

                      marketing

              3. Common for people to discover news on social media sites — news

                   organizations must go where the audience is and participate how

                   the audience participates

              4. Social media tips for journalists:

                   * Familiarity with the tools is important

                   * Be mindful that you represent more than just yourself

                   * Presume your tweets, etc., will go further than you intend for them to go

                   * Ask your boss to follow you on Twitter — it’s a good accountability

                      measure

Why the news conversation is important:

• Knowledgable users can provide tips, links, additional insight or even clarify a post
• Five different types of user generators based on participants’ motivation:

             1. Those motivated by money (smallest)

             2. Those motivated by ego

             3. Those motivated by issues

             4. Accidental bystanders (largest) 

             5. “Plain old crazy” users every Web site seems to have

• If someone posts something questionable, the online community will “smoke it out pretty fast”

Build and manage a community online:

• Make news participatory — power of the Web comes from its interactivity

              1. The link, which connects one piece of information to another, is the

                   primary building block of the digital age

              2. Secondary building block is the comment, or contribution, from audience

              3. The 1-10-100 rule for participatory online communities states:

                   * One percent of the user community actually create content

                   * 10 percent of the user community will “synthesize” the content by posting

                      a comment, e-mailing a link to a friend, etc.

                   * 100 percent of the user community benefit from the actions of the first

                       two groups

              4. How mainstream organizations make news more participatory:

                   * Message boards;

                   * Most commented, e-mailed, viewed;

                   * Display blog links to an article;

                   * Social bookmarking and sharing tools on stories;

                   * Social networks on sites

              5. Making news participatory creates brand loyalty

• Journalists must get involved and build online communities:

             1. Evangelize the brand, both print and online

             2. Solicit content and community participation

             3. Moderate comments, blogs, user submissions

             4. Solve user problems with Web tools

             5. Staff booths at weekend events

             6. Run contests to drive participation and traffic

             7. Inform community establishments about advertising opportunities

             8. Tap the power of the crowd during breaking news events

             9. Acknowledge who sent tips and how

           10. Set up and moderating a message board forum if breaking news is

                  significant  

• Develop sources through social networks:

             1. Generic, large-scale social networks like Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn

             2. Niche social networks like CafeMom or Gather

             3. Building a niche social network for your sources with a free tool like Ning or

                 Google Groups 

             4. When journalists join existing social networks they should immediately let

                  people know who they are and that they are on specific social networks

• Collaborate with your community:

              1. The audience increasingly provides the “what” while journalists provide

                   the “why” and the “how”

              2. Regular citizens using mobile phones to report breaking news while

                   journalists provide the context and connect them together

              3. A form of pro-am journalism

              4. War is over between mainstream media and bloggers

              5. Networked journalism: reporters and bloggers complement each other’s

                  skills to expand the reach of the news

              6. The more resources shrink, the more essential collaboration becomes

Keep conversations accurate and ethical:

• Set guidelines for participants
• Monitor offensive postings

              1. Some editors turn off the comments, others keep a closer eye on them   

              2. Anonymity often blamed for destructive comments and trolls

              3. Many editors now believe requiring actual identities would stifle valuable

                  input

              4. Enlist community for help: flag comment as inappropriate; police the

                  comment streams 

• Know your legal responsibilities — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, 1996

             1. Online publishers held to distributor standards — allows Web publishers

                  to open their sites to interactivity without worrying about verifying

                  every statement published by users

              2. Original creator of content can still be held liable for defamatory

                   statements

              3. You have no obligation to remove material from your site if you’ve been

                   notified by another user that it’s defamatory or problematic

              4. Just because you can leave defamatory material published by someone

                  else on your site doesn’t mean you should 

• Correct errors:

              1. Accuracy is a hallmark of the best journalism

              2. Nobody’s perfect, so mistakes will be made

              3. Journalists lose credibility when they fail to prevent and correct errors

              4. It’s in the best interest of news organizations to standardize a workflow for

                  error correction and to create the expectation for all journalists to be

                  accountable for their mistakes

Social media is journalism:

• Connects journalists and reporters to people and information
• Doesn’t replace other forms of connecting with people — adds to them       

“The world is always talking, and journalists can get a lot out of listening.” 

H4n Digital Recorder www.samsontech.com

Audio  Journalism:                                                                                                                 

• “Painting sound pictures for listeners is a skill that takes practice.”
• Digital tools make audio easy for one person to master
• People often listen to audio journalism while commuting or spending time alone
• “An audio journalist can create a more intimate and personal relationship with the listener and take advantage of that”

Why audio journalism is important: “it is the dominant form of information distribution on The Next Big Thing in Journalism: mobile journalism” 

Characteristics unique to audio journalism: 

• Presence:  being on location boosts credibility + interest
• Emotions:  message enhanced by tone of voice, expressions, intonation + pauses
• Atmosphere:  natural sound pulls listener in close

By combining voice-overs, natural sound and sound effects (for transitions), you build a multidimensional story. 

How news organizations use audio: 

• Reporter overview: quick, simple audio overviews by reporters that accompany their newspaper articles
• Podcasts: regular episodes on a selected subject help build an audience
• Audio slide shows: adding audio to images creates richer, more compelling stories
• Breaking news: Briggs says with free services like Utterli.com, a reporter can file a quick audio report from anywhere by mobile phone, to be published on a Web site; Utterli.com has since been purchased by Twitter.com

Get started with audio — plan and prepare: 

• Recording interviews: interview can be used as a stand-alone audio file with a news story, a podcast, a stand-alone audio file for a blog post, and an audio to accompany a photo slide show  
• Choose your location: best to record interview face-to-face in quiet place with good accoustics; if outside, stay as far away as possible from traffic and crowds; if phone is only option, try to keep interview focused, then edit down to most notable points  
• Gather natural sound: record natural sound in uninterrupted 15-second increments without anyone talking; helps describe setting; can be used in editing
• Prepare your subject so you’ll both be clear on the basics
• Watch what you say: keep quiet while subject is talking; use nonverbal clues, like nodding, to let them know you’re listening and understanding
• Try delayed recording: conduct interview, then ask subject to speak again about a couple of the most notable points while you start recording
• Mark the best spots: where the speaker said the best stuff; saves lots of time back at the office

Doing voice-overs: 

• Write a script: use short, simple declarative sentences and a compelling hook; put best quote up front; avoid long words; allow some moments of silence 
• Warm up: stretch muscles in face and mouth + hum or sing; facial muscles and vocal cords need to be ready to perform
• Find operative words:  usually who-what-where-when-why-how words; use changes in volume, pitch, rhythm and tempo to emphasize them
• Keep it conversational

Gear up and get out there: 

• Choose a digital recorder: consider recording quality, digital file format and compatibility with your computer, ease of use and ease of transfering files; consider only recorders that have external inputs for mic and headphones
• Start interviews by asking, while the recorder is running, “OK if I tape this?”
• Record with your computer:

              1. File name: use a standard file-naming convention; create new folders by 

                  year or month for more organization 

              2. Format: record in WAV format so files are uncompressed + of the 

                  highest quality; can convert to MP3 once they’re edited for publishing on 

                  the Web 

              3. Input/mic level: make sure software is set to capture data via microphone 

                  input; set microphone level to about 70 percent

• Use an external mic:

             1. Standard mic with a cord: helpful if interviewing more than one person at a time or if you want to include your own voice on the audio clip; best way to gather natural sound 

             2. Wireless or lavalier mic: most helpful in the field to capture the voice and words of one person  

• Use headphones: plug in and listen while you record to be sure you’re recording good audio
• Prepare before you go out: test everything before trying to use it on assignment; be prepared for worst-case scenarios

Editing digital audio: goal is to record with highest quality possible, then edit files before compressing to publish and distribute online 

• Understand digital formats:

             1. Different formats use different codecs that create specific types of files which work only on specific players or devices 

             2. Goal should be to provide audio clips for your audience in MP3 format because virtually any computer can play an MP3 and MP3 strikes the best balance between high quality and file size 

• Get ready to edit: many basic programs are free, like Audacity
• Try advanced editing techniques:

             1. Fade: gradual increase or decrease in audio level 

             2. Cross-fading: one track level increasing while another decreases 

             3. Establishing music: set tone with song clips 

             4. Segue: smooth transition from one track to another 

             5. Transition: smooth and natural connection of different tracks 

Start podcasting (iPod + broadcast): 

1. Podcasting — the distribution of audio files over the Internet using RSS subscription 

2. Files can be downloaded to mobile devices or played on pcs 

3. Podcast usually features one type of “show,” with new episodes available either sporadically or at planned intervals 

• Vodcasting (video + podcasting): podcasting with video files
• With iTunes, finding and listening to podcasts is simple:

            1. Click the Podcasts link in the left menu, then click Podcasts directory on the bottom of the screen 

            2. Search by category or by most popular 

            3. Click Subscribe and it will automatically update when there’s new content

canongl2camcorder.org

 

“Journalism without photographs is like writing without verbs.”

Because photography used to take a great deal of training and expertise, “visual storytelling used to be reserved for serious technicians only.”

Digital photography + ubiquity of cell phone cameras, has made everyone a photographer

“Doing it well takes patience, practice and preparation.”

“You need to know the basics… composition, how to operate the camera, how to work with a subject so you can make them feel comfortable”

Digital cameras are convenient because you can:

• Take as many pictures as you want
• See immediately whether you captured the image you wanted
• Upload pictures to the Web and share them
• Save money: don’t have to purchase film and don’t pay to print photos you don’t want
• Easily edit pictures on a computer

Pixel (PICTure ELement) — the visual representation of data in a digital image or graphic

Cameras store photographs as digital files on a memory card.  The more pixels in a photograph, the more bytes needed to store the picture.

Resolution — a measurement of pixels that are available to the human eye; refers to the number of pixels in an image

Photographs on Web sites need a resolution of only 72 ppi (pixels per inch); will look blurry in a newspaper, especially if enlarged

Ownership, copyright and fair use:

• Do not “borrow” others’ photographs without permission
• Creative Commons project:  an effort to legally protect those who wish to share their work as long as they are given credit

Digital camera basics:

• Two kinds of digital cameras: beginners should use automatic settings

             1. Point-and-shoot, or all-in-one:  more compact, easier to use; more

                 affordable; lens + flash built in; most equipped with a video mode

             2. DSLR camera: captures better photos because image sensor 10x larger;

                 more complex to use; usually costs 2 to 3 times more; accessories

                 (lenses, flash) cost extra; video mode not as good    

• Basic camera functions:

             1. Camera modes:  choose shutter speed icon from the dial on top

                 of the camera that represents the moment you’re trying to capture

             2. Zoom:  digital and optical; use only the optical provided by the

                  lens (doesn’t affect image quality)

             3. Flash:  lightning bolt icon on back of the camera; auto flash means

                  camera will determine whether flash will be used; you can turn off

                  the flash or “force” the flash (helpful when bright backlighting

                  leaves shadows on a subject’s face); avoid red eyes in photos

                  — use red-eye reduction mode, try changing angles or have

                  subject look slightly to the side of the lens

             4. View/delete: view photographs on your camera as you shoot

                  and delete ones you know won’t work

Shooting better photos with a digital camera:

• Good composition cuts away unimportant, distracting elements
• Best photos are shot with natural light only
• Cloudy and partly sunny days are best for outdoor photography
• Shooting mug shots/ head shots:

             1. Avoid harsh sunlight and strong backlight

             2. Try to photograph when skies are overcast

             3. Use flash as a last resort — adds shiny spots to faces

             4. Pick a background that’s neutral, simple and dark   

             5. Position the subject away from any walls

             6. Make sure nothing is “growing” out of the person’s

                  head (lamp, etc.)

             7. Biggest mistakes beginners make — they don’t get

                 close enough to their subjects or to the action, and they

                 don’t take enough photographs

             8. Shoot a variety of wide, medium and tight shots —

                 makes editing easier + increases odds of having a good image

Working with digital photographs:

• Real power of digital photography: editing on a computer
• Altering photos by adding or removing objects is strictly forbidden in documentary journalism
• Make sure photo reflects the scene accurately
• View images from a storytelling point of view
• Manage and organize photos from your camera to your computer by changing generic file names from digital camera to something you’ll recognize on your computer (combination of date and subject); use underscores, not spaces, to separate words in file names

Steps to prepare an image for online publishing:

• Edit a copy of the photo — never the original
• Crop the photo to omit unnecessary information
• Resize the picture
• Modify the resolution to 72 ppi
• Tone and color correct the picture
• Save a Web version
• Keep it simple

How to build a good slide show:

• Limit to two to three minutes in length
• Use the right amount of photos
• Match the photos to the audio
• Use captions
• Avoid awkward transitions — use fade in or out
• Avoid overpowering music
• Should have all the elements of a good story:

             1. Attention-grabbing opening

             2. Logical progression that builds to a climax

             3. A finish that provides a sense of summary

Briggs recommends Photoshop Elements to build a photo gallery and Soundslides to create slide shows with audio.

Don’t forget, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  A photograph has impact.  It provides color and interest.  It makes the story come alive for the reader and later serves as a memory prompt for all of the emotions associated with it.

fotosearch.com

According to Briggs, all traditional journalists need to get their “mojo” (mobile journalist) on is a smartphone with the following: 

• A camera with a flash and video mode
• A full QWERTY keypad
• Mobile Internet capability with full-featured e-mail

A gearhead who reports from the field every day needs compact versions of the following items that fit into one backpack: 

• Small laptop or netbook                                                                                   
• Internet connection:  a mobile Internet card is best option 
• Camera: point-and-shoot with video                                                               
• Video camera
• Tripod: compact that folds and stores in a small space
• Audio recorder: digital; records to memory card or interfaces with your laptop
• Headphones: folding portable models that cover your ears
• Microphone: durable with some type of windscreen
• Cell phone to make calls

Cell phones have created a whole new field of journalism: mobile reporting

For mobile reporting the deadline is always right now 

Mobile technology is emerging as a powerful means for publishing multimedia to mobile audiences 

Journalists are experimenting with using audiences for mobile crowdsourcing 

Mobile journalism can be an important complement to news reporting, especially in breaking news situations 

Bottom line:  

• Keep it simple:  don’t lug more equipment than you need
• Be prepared: don’t try to use a new device in the field before you’ve practiced and gotten comfortable with it

Kinds of assignments to report and publish from the field: 

• Criminal and civil trials
• Important speeches or announcments
• Breaking news events
• Public gatherings
• Sporting events
• Grand openings of popular consumer destinations

Some ways journalists have gone mobile: 

• Mobile microblogging:  via Twitter or FriendFeed or Facebook’s status updates
• Live blogging:  done with standard blogging software or with an add-on service like CoveritLive
• Mobile video: use Qik, Kyte and Flixwagon to stream video live from anywhere on a cell phone without an Internet connection; only works on phones that can shoot video
• Mobile Multimedia

              1. Text is critical and easiest to publish 

              2. Photos and video crucial, especially in situations where no TV coverage   

                  or other visual is available 

              3. Photos and video only need to be “good enough”; powerful because of  

                  relevance, not because of editing and composition  

• GPS possibly the next game-changing technology for journalism

              1. News, information and advertising could be served to you depending on  

                  your location — no need to search 

              2. Will change how people contribute information — will be able to quickly

                  and easily publish to Web sites that organize content geographically 

• Portability and small size of smartphones are less intimidating and will change relationship between reporters and interviewee

• You don’t need the resources of a big news company to connect with a mobile audience             

http://www.tbd.com

Mandy Jenkins, Social Media Producer for TBD.com, spoke to our COMM 361 Online Journalism class on Tuesday, Feb. 10.  A graduate of Kent State in Ohio, Jenkins’ background is mostly in online journalism.  Before TBD, Jenkins began her own blog titled “Zombie Journalism.” 

Jenkins advises that the best way to get jobs and to get noticed is to do good work and connect with people individually — people you want to emulate and work with.

TBD is a local news Web site for the D.C. metro area, including Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland.  It employs 15 reporters and has built a blog network of over 200 local bloggers. 

Jenkins said that forming good relationships with people is the only way to obtain good news.  Tipsters are quoted and credited in TBD news stories.  As a result, they are eager to come back and help again.

Online sites recommended by Jenkins:

• Hootsuite.com / Twitterdeck.com — lists other people with the same accounts; has news source lists 
• Twellow.com — like a Yellow Pages for Twitter
• Trendsmap.com — lets you see news bubble up on national and international maps
• Storify.com — lets you build a story that pulls in tweets, photos from Flickr, videos from YouTube; embeds Web sites into the story; can write all your text around it

 Note:  Jenkins did not use the word “persistence” in her presentation, but she certainly personifies the concept.