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Mar 27 2011

Tech Blog #1: Copyright Law

Posted by mcarvaja in Comm361, Online Journalism, Student Blog Posts, tags: , ,

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)

              + 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

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Mar 19 2011

Briggs Chapter 9 Summary: Data-Driven Journalism and Digitizing Your Life

Posted by mcarvaja in briggs, Comm361, tags: ,

 

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 

 

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Mar 16 2011

Briggs Chapter 8 Summary: Telling Stories with Video

Posted by mcarvaja in briggs, Comm361, Student Blog Posts, tags: , ,
  

Creative Commons

   

Video storytelling:  

“Whenever possible, let your story tell its own story: let the characters talk, let the events speak for themselves.” –Tim Peek  

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

 

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Mar 08 2011

C-SPAN Video Conference with Dan Rather and Tucker Carlson

Posted by mcarvaja in Comm361, Online Journalism, Student Blog Posts, tags: ,

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/). 

 

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