OJ1#3
Here’s the scenario: You’re a full-time, busy journalist, working in a competitive and hurried online news room. You’re writing a news story on a local teenager who has been killed in a car accident. You need some more information for the story and a photo of the teenager but you’re running out of time and have so much to do. You log on to Facebook and search for the teenager. Profile, found. You see his display picture. He’s only 17 but is holding a can of bourbon and smiling cheekily. That look’s alright, you think. You don’t take into consideration that alcohol may be a cause of the accident and that by using this picture you are placing an emphasis on the deceased youths underage drinking, which may mislead some readers.
You want a comment from his friends, you don’t have time to go out and speak to them directly. Not to mention, they may not want to speak to you. You find a public memorial site, recently created for friends to pay their respects to the deceased. You find some good quotes….friends write, “ Brendan you were such a good mate, always there for everyone. Miss you forever man.” and “Brendy, I just can’t believe it. We are supposed to be going to Thailand together in a few months. This just can’t be real. “. You pop them into your story. Your piece is finished. Job done. You move onto your next story.
What the journalist doesn’t know is that the parents of the dead 17-year-old are devastated a photo of their son drinking alcohol as appeared on the front page of the local paper. They are upset people will think badly of him; think that alcohol caused the crash when it was a faulty traffic light. They wanted to use a photo of him at his year 12 formal. The same one they’ve picked out for his funeral. The boys friends, quoted in the story are upset no one asked their permission. They are grieving and angry the person who wrote the story didn’t ask them for a proper comment. They would have loved to talk about their friend Brendan.
This story is completely made up, but based on situations that occur around the world in busy news rooms every day. Not every journalist has acted this way, but those who do MUST put more thought into their use of social media. They must never forget no matter how busy they are, or how tight their deadline is, they are writing about a human being.
*The author of this blog has chosen not to include screen shots of a deceased persons Facebook tribute page as she considers it inappropriate.
INFORMATION FOR JOURNALISTS. Read more here about journalists using Facebook to find sources: http://journalism.about.com/od/trends/a/facebook.htm
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Internet JOURNALISM Hero’s
OJ1#2
With web based news emerging as the number one media source in the modern world, prominent online journalists are being more recognised for their work than ever. With a heavy focus and criticism from mainstream media, online competitions and awards for outstanding online contributions, web heroes have emerged. Julian Assange, Arianna Huffington and the Young Turks Cenk Uygur, have all used the internet to accelerate their career and are well known globally. The internet allows budding media personalities to spread their reach internationally and gives independent journalists a platform to compete against larger organisations.
Many debate over whether or not Julia Assange is a journalist. He calls himself one but many in the global media disagree with his self-title, but whatever he is technically called, his contribution to modern journalism has been massive. He heads Wikileaks, an organisation dedicated to releasing important and sensitive government information to news organisations and the public. While Assange has been criticised for what some say is the release of inappropriate information, others argue Assange is aiding the world by smashing up secrecy and overcoming government power. He is a controversial figure, charged in Europe for sex crimes related to non-consensual unprotected sex, a claim he continues to deny and an accusation many say is a conspiracy, with powerful people desperate to imprison him. His organisations leaks have contributed to many important news stories breaking and investigations into serious crimes and misconduct. For that he should be commended.
Arianna Huffington is the editor-in-chief of the world’s largest online newspaper, the Huffington Post. Huffington launched her newspaper in 2005, and the blog and news site quickly become one of the most widely read sites on the web. The Huffington Post has won multiple acclaim and is one of the most successful new media outlets in the world. Huffington has been acclaimed by Time magazine and has authored a number of bestselling books. Her founding of Huffington Post has encouraged numerous other small media outlets to form and thrive and the Post’s site is continuing its enormous global growth.
Cenk Uygur is not a name widely known in Australia. Nor for that matter is his online news program, The Young Turks. He is co-founder and presenter of the program, which according to the Huffington Post and Uygur’s Young Turks Bio, is the world’s first ever live, daily web television talk show. The Young Turks is the largest online news show in the world. The show is one of the Top 50 You Tube Partners, with over 23 million views a month on the The Young Turks You Tube Channel. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur) Uygur‘s has helped expand his award winning show into a network, with a variety of additional shows being broadcast under TYT’s brand.
With web based news emerging as the number one media source in the modern world, prominent online journalists are being more recognised for their work than ever. With a heavy focus and criticism from mainstream media, online competitions and awards for outstanding online contributions, web heroes have emerged. Julian Assange, Arianna Huffington and the Young Turks Cenk Uygur, have all used the internet to accelerate their career and are well known globally. The internet allows budding media personalities to spread their reach internationally and gives independent journalists a platform to compete against larger organisations.
Many debate over whether or not Julia Assange is a journalist. He calls himself one but many in the global media disagree with his self-title, but whatever he is technically called, his contribution to modern journalism has been massive. He heads Wikileaks, an organisation dedicated to releasing important and sensitive government information to news organisations and the public. While Assange has been criticised for what some say is the release of inappropriate information, others argue Assange is aiding the world by smashing up secrecy and overcoming government power. He is a controversial figure, charged in Europe for sex crimes related to non-consensual unprotected sex, a claim he continues to deny and an accusation many say is a conspiracy, with powerful people desperate to imprison him. His organisations leaks have contributed to many important news stories breaking and investigations into serious crimes and misconduct. For that he should be commended.
Assange speaking on 'Alternative/Citizen Journalism'
Arianna Huffington is the editor-in-chief of the world’s largest online newspaper, the Huffington Post. Huffington launched her newspaper in 2005, and the blog and news site quickly become one of the most widely read sites on the web. The Huffington Post has won multiple acclaim and is one of the most successful new media outlets in the world. Huffington has been acclaimed by Time magazine and has authored a number of bestselling books. Her founding of Huffington Post has encouraged numerous other small media outlets to form and thrive and the Post’s site is continuing its enormous global growth.
Cenk Uygur is not a name widely known in Australia. Nor for that matter is his online news program, The Young Turks. He is co-founder and presenter of the program, which according to the Huffington Post and Uygur’s Young Turks Bio, is the world’s first ever live, daily web television talk show. The Young Turks is the largest online news show in the world. The show is one of the Top 50 You Tube Partners, with over 23 million views a month on the The Young Turks You Tube Channel. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur) Uygur‘s has helped expand his award winning show into a network, with a variety of additional shows being broadcast under TYT’s brand.
Uygur presenting 'The Young Turks Hour'
Monday, August 15, 2011
Good Bye Breakfast TV, Hello Facebook.
FACEBOOK OWNS ME
OJ1#1
This week, I begin my discussion on online news. I am the first to wave the online news flag. I love www.news.com.au, consume copious ABC news 24 online live streams, adore the Huffington post and watch The Young Turks YouTube videos. But I have a deep, dark secret. A truth I rarely tell. A dirty habit that possesses me. It haunts my daily life and as a wannabe Journo, is shameful and naughty.
I get my news first and fore mostly from Facebook and Twitter. It’s not the broad sheet I open up first thing in the morning, it’s my social networking pages. I know there are many like me out there, those of us who Googled Mossman after it trended on twitter, heard Penny Wong was expecting from a Facebook news feed, learnt Amy Winehouse was dead via a status update and re-tweeted a prayer for Norway, before checking any official reports.
It is a daunting phenomenon but when properly considered, not unusual. The original form of storytelling was word of mouth, neighbours and friends spreading everything from vital facts to local gossip, casually throughout the day. Facebook and Twitter are giant online, global communities. While they lack the human touch and often tell you more then you need (or want) to know about your third cousins, boyfriends, sisters personal life, they are valuable tools, capable of spreading a message in seconds.
It is a message we sometimes need to be cautious of. Numerous celebrities have been falsely proclaimed dead, rumours of political takeovers and fabricated quotations regularly appear online via social media. It is then I turn to the traditional sources of news. When it comes down to it, I still rely on the big players and their hacks. Constantly, I come crawling back in search of clarity and accuracy. But they aren’t my first port of call. Australian news broadcaster, ABC recognises people like me, with a dedicated political tweeter. Members of the media, the public and interested parties learn of political developments via reporter Latika Bourke’s Twitter feed. Updates from a trusted source keep everyone informed and provide a safe place, with reliable material readily available.
And for now, it's working.
OJ1#1
This week, I begin my discussion on online news. I am the first to wave the online news flag. I love www.news.com.au, consume copious ABC news 24 online live streams, adore the Huffington post and watch The Young Turks YouTube videos. But I have a deep, dark secret. A truth I rarely tell. A dirty habit that possesses me. It haunts my daily life and as a wannabe Journo, is shameful and naughty.
I get my news first and fore mostly from Facebook and Twitter. It’s not the broad sheet I open up first thing in the morning, it’s my social networking pages. I know there are many like me out there, those of us who Googled Mossman after it trended on twitter, heard Penny Wong was expecting from a Facebook news feed, learnt Amy Winehouse was dead via a status update and re-tweeted a prayer for Norway, before checking any official reports.
It is a daunting phenomenon but when properly considered, not unusual. The original form of storytelling was word of mouth, neighbours and friends spreading everything from vital facts to local gossip, casually throughout the day. Facebook and Twitter are giant online, global communities. While they lack the human touch and often tell you more then you need (or want) to know about your third cousins, boyfriends, sisters personal life, they are valuable tools, capable of spreading a message in seconds.
It is a message we sometimes need to be cautious of. Numerous celebrities have been falsely proclaimed dead, rumours of political takeovers and fabricated quotations regularly appear online via social media. It is then I turn to the traditional sources of news. When it comes down to it, I still rely on the big players and their hacks. Constantly, I come crawling back in search of clarity and accuracy. But they aren’t my first port of call. Australian news broadcaster, ABC recognises people like me, with a dedicated political tweeter. Members of the media, the public and interested parties learn of political developments via reporter Latika Bourke’s Twitter feed. Updates from a trusted source keep everyone informed and provide a safe place, with reliable material readily available.
And for now, it's working.
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