Digital Journalism Izak Minnaar Wits Journalism June 2012 Online and social media tools in the newsroom

Journalism in the digital age Format and content From platform based content To brands on multiple platforms Accessibility of content On any screen; in any format; in the clouds Multimedia production Mobile journalism Networked journalism Data journalism Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Tra-digital journalist* Traditional values plus new skills & tools Journalism fundamentals: great reporting and writing, journalistic ethics, specialization by topic or beat, investigative skills, news judgment, critical thinking and critical reading PLUS * Source: Mashable, Feb 2010Mashable Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Tra-digital journalist a multimedia storyteller: using the right digital skills and tools for the right story at the right time. a community builder: facilitating conversation among various audiences, being a community manager. a trusted pointer: finding and sharing great content, within a beat(s) or topic area(s); being trusted by others to filter out the noise. a blogger and curator: has a personal voice, is curator of quality web content and participant in the link economy. able to work collaboratively: knowing how to harness the work of a range of people around him/her — colleagues in the newsroom; experts in the field; trusted citizen journalists; segments of the audience, and more Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Digital content Creation Gathering, searching, analysing info Multimedia storytelling Data journalism Curation Production and presenting for multiple platforms Using the best and link to the rest Community: collaboration and conversation Engagement before and after publication Coordinating user generated content Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Check the facts; track competitors Craft the story; publish and share the content Analyse the information Find and review source documents Find the experts; work your contacts Prep: read up and research the story; engage followers A reporter in action … Interview the sources Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Online tools for … Information/data gathering Information management Analysis Visualisation Content production – tools of the trade Information/content distribution Audience engagement and more Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Online tools for content production Key functions to find and prepare info for content creation and production search gather track analyse curate compile Strategies to find info, to find people, to spot trends, to interact Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Online searching

Don’t just Google it … Online toolbox Search engines Search tools Effective search techniques Advanced search techniques Targeted searches Search filters Specialised searches Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Search tools Different kinds of search engines Traditional search engines Database driven web search Database Deep web/invisible web searches Specialised/targeted search tools Realtime search (of the social web) News, blogs, social media Search directories Integrated searches Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Search engines Top 3: Google Yahoo Bing Multi and meta search engines Bing/Google Yippy Carrot 2 Carrot 2 Dogpile Mamma Which search engine when? Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Search engines New generation search engines - examples: Biznar Facesearch Pipl Wolfram-Alpha Touchgraph iResearch Reporter Selection of Advanced and Alternative search enginesAdvanced and Alternative Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Let’s search the web …

Search techniques Develop a “document frame of mind” Define the search topic ask exactly what you want to know use search phrases and quotation marks Less but better results Explore results options Cached pages Latest content published: time based results Extended results Timeline search Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Sources and content types Possible sources: Primary Official Reference Secondary Mediated Multiple Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Targeted searches Search strategies to find source material: Domain searches Document type searches Google advanced search Source File type Site/domain Region Date Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

More Google search features Language tools Definitions Calculations and conversions More search featuressearch features Knowledge Graph Google search tips help with search Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Social media Networked journalism

Web 2.0 and social media The social media revolution Web waves – development of the internet What is Web 2.0? What is Journalism 2.0?Web 2.0Journalism 2.0 Social networking Online collaboration Information sharing Open platforms allowing users to contribute and curate content format and organise content display content in preferred environments The machine is us/ing us Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Networked journalism … Allows the public to be involved in every aspect of journalism production through crowd- sourcing, interactivity, hyper-linking, user- generated content and forums. It changes the creation of news from being linear and top-down to a collaborative process. The principles of networking are increasingly practiced in all forms of news media. Source: The value of networked journalism, by Charlie Beckett Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Content tracking Sign in: gmail or Google login

Overview Tracking stories and sources RSS feeds & aggregators Personalised news and beat pages News alerts and custom feeds Readers and dashboards Create and manage feeds Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Content tracking RSS feeds; news feeds; news aggregators News readers: Programmes to install Feedreader in Internet Explorer 7+/Firefox Online options RSS in plain English How to use RSS and social media for newsgathering (Paul Bradshaw) How to use RSS and social media for newsgathering Read more on “passive-aggressive newsgathering”more Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Tracking news stories Personalised Google news page Change the format Add content with labels and sections: Build a beat page Track top stories of the day Advanced search options Countries Sources Features & FAQ News alerts and news feeds Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Readers Subscribe to Google Reader Browse for stuff: feed bundles Add a subscription for existing/customised feeds: Feed url Web address Site/publication name Search term Manage subscriptions; settings How to use Google Reader (Mashable) How to use Google Reader How to Use Google Reader (Andy Wibbels) How to Use Google Reader (Andy Wibbels Other options: Bloglines, more feed readers Bloglinesfeed readers Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, JUnue 2012

Dashboards iGoogle Customise format and content Set up tabs for different purposes Gadgets & widgets Other option: NetvibesNetvibes Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Personalised pages overview Monitoring stories Google Personalised News Google News Alerts Monitoring sources Google Reader iGoogle Monitoring both iGoogle Google Reader Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Content curation

Curation in the newsroom The role of journalism and the filter bubblefilter bubble The social story building processprocess Info gathering for a story: collecting facts and opinion from a variety of sources Crowdsourcing – collecting contributions and opinions from followers/audiences Curation tools: to select, order and contextualise info and opinion Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Curation tools Many tools for different purposes … For own use to order research material/contacts/links/quotes for stories For publication to supplement an online story As a stand-alone story Article on curation and toolscuration and tools More tools – and even moretoolseven more Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

Storify examples The Battle For Tahrir Square Al Jazeera: The StreamThe Stream Preparation for the programme Used during the programme Comments collated for use on the programme How stories unfold on social media: ABC News – Osama bin Laden ABC News The Daily Beast – Jet crashed into complex The Daily Beast Collection of condolences – Rhodes studentRhodes student Online and social media tools in the newsroom - Izak Minnaar, Wits Journalism, June 2012

How to curate Aspects of journalistic curationjournalistic curation 10 ways to curate with Storify 10 ways Storify How to work with Storify How to Watch a demodemo Assignments Online Tools in the Newsroom - course presented by Izak Minnaar for Media24 Journalism Academy, 25 Feb 2011

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