Ditch the Diary Style, Give Us Informative Narrative

We talk a lot about how technology and new platforms are changing our media consumption habits, preferences and communication styles, but these changes are also impacting how messages are formed, what words are used and the tone with which we communicate. For instance, we are becoming accustomed to snackable information, as Barnathan (2015) describes. But when it comes to style, young people in particular don’t gravitate toward the impartial writing style in traditional journalism (Barnathan, 2015). 

News used to be consumed via a detached writing style, perceived as unbiased and more credible, while reporters were instructed to stay out of their stories (Barnathan, 2015). Young people, however, prefer something different. Consider that about 61 percent of millennials get their news from Facebook, many preferring it via video (Barnathan, 2015). In this new realm of consumption, narrative is king and readers prefer to be taken on a journey through exploration while uncovering the truth behind issues of the day (Barnathan, 2015).

In addition to writing, the way multimedia is integrated into a story has transformed. People are primarily reading their news on mobile devises that can be scrolled with the swipe of a finger, and multimedia storytelling has become less interactive and more of a multidimensional journey, as we saw with the groundbreaking New York Times article “Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek (Rue, 2013). 

This video provides a multimodal analysis of the Snow Fall article:

Instead of the traditional multimedia experience that allows the user to navigate a complex story with links, subsections, videos and slideshows, Snow Fall takes the reader on a multimedia journey, where video and slideshows display automatically as you scroll down and new elements are revealed through the alluring curtain effect (Rue, 2013). In place of a static image as the cover photo, for instance, they use a silent video to convey a sense of place (Rue, 2013). Then, as you scroll through, other videos and action elements come to life. Scrolling narrative has become more popular as scrolling technology has improved and broadband speeds have improved to allow a single story to load (Rue, 2013). Rue (2015) explains that all the elements of the new multimedia narrative create a more immersive experience, more like documentaries, and potentially more effective in delivering content.

Robert Tercek, in this Ted Talk, explains how technology is supporting a more personal narrative in all forms of storytelling:

Changing writing styles to be more narrative and personal, along with innovations in storytelling to make them more seamless and journey-like also follow the growing body of research that shows how making an emotional connection with readers or listeners is the most effective way to impart information and change perspectives (Bech, 2015).

The Snow Fall article is a great example, but there are also many bad examples of news articles that to me read more like a diary entry, filling the reader in on all the details, even the ones that don't add much to the story and aren't relevant to the issue at hand. As a journalist, this is painful of course, to see people pushing aside meticulously crafted news articles packaged as un-objectively as possible. But even I must admit, when done right, when a writer can strike an emotional cord, that piece is worth much more than any dry fact-based story. It's more effective because it has more impact, carries more punch. So maybe, just maybe, the diary-style articles that are all the fashion right now will morph into pieces that offer a bit more as far as substance and polish so people can be entertained and informed at the same time. Am I asking too much?

References

Barnathan, J. (2015). Rewriting the rules: the new voice of journalism. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from http://www.cjr.org/opinion/new_voice_of_journalism.php

Bech, L. (2015). Journalism and the power of emotions. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from http://www.cjr.org/analysis/journalism_and_the_power_of_emotions.php

Rue, J. (2013). The ‘Snow Fall” effect and dissecting the multimedia longform narrative. Multimedia Shooter. Retrieved from http://multimediashooter.com/wp/2013/04/21/the-snow-fall-effect-and-dissecting-the-multimedia-longform-narrative/

The Upside to Our Technology Addiction: A Global Conscious

Generosity is usually associated with monetary giving, often religious giving and the promise of some return, Sreenivasan (2013) explains. If it’s not the impending favor of God, maybe it’s a tote bag from an NPR donation, but for the most part something is expected in return (Sreenivasan, 2013). Interestingly, in the middle of a recession during 2010, monetary donations increased about 4 percent, totaling about $300 billion in the U.S. (Sreenivasan, 2013). This change is in large part a result of technology and demonstrates yet another way that innovation is changing our society, sometimes for the better.

Technology has impacted giving in a number of ways. There is more transparency about where our donations are going, donating online and through text message is really easy, personal connections with the cause are promoted and it is easier to find the right charitable opportunities with more access to information (Sreenivasan, 2013). Being charitable or promoting social good is helped along by celebrities who encourage fans to support causes (Sreenivasan, 2013). Tremendous success has also been seen in crowdfunding for charitable projects, such as through platforms like Kickstarter (Sreenivasan, 2013).

An example of how easy technology has made charity was the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, where people donated more than $30 million via their cell phones (Sreenivasan, 2013). Social media had a lot to do with it too, Pew (2010) explains. When an event such as the earthquake takes place, people congregate on social media to share information and get real time updates on what is happening, then the call for action comes and those already in the conversation are shown how they can get involved. During the tragedy, there were some 2.3 million Tweets on the earthquake while charitable groups were forming on Facebook (Pew, 2010).

This infographic shows in detail where donations have gained strength:

http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/nonprofit-online-marketing-benchmarks/

Technology also has made it easier to support worthy causes, by simply sharing information, opinions and resources on how to get involved, sort of like donating your virtual time. Plus, Sreenivasan (2013) notes, everyone is online watching their friends donate, being charitable and supporting causes and this has a chain reaction. Then there are all the ways technology is helping worthy causes in more tangible ways, such as with endangered species. Markham (2010) explains that endangered species are getting more help thanks to innovations like better mapping and visualization, smart collars for endangered animals, remote photography and video, remote monitoring, remote sampling, conservation drones and predictive analytics, among others. 

This video by Ashoka explains how significantly technology is changing society:

In general, there needs to be more talk about how technology is benefiting society, making us more conscientious and involved in global affairs. Sure, there are plenty of negatives as well, cyberbullying, terrorism recruitment as well as over sexualization and violence in media. But there is a movement for that, for all of those issues, where we flood the Internet with good, positive messages to counteract the bad. It is often said that media, to some degree, is a mirror on society, only seriously amplified. Like everything, there is good and there is bad, I prefer to maintain hope that however slight, there is mostly good.

References

Markham, D. (2012). 12 innovative ways technology is saving endangered species. Tree Hugger. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/ways-technology-saving-endangered-species.html

Pew (2010). Social media aid the Haiti relief effort. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org/2010/01/21/social-media-aid-haiti-relief-effort/

Sreenivasan, S. (2013). How might the Internet foster generosity? Big Questions Online. Retrieved from https://www.bigquestionsonline.com/content/how-might-internet-foster-generosity

Health Care Revolution or 'Hypochondriac Time Suck?'

There is no question technology and medical research have advanced the quality of health care. But how have these things impacted our ability to care for ourselves? Or, more specifically, how have they influenced our relationship with our health care? Well, we know a few things. We know that 80 percent of Internet users seek out health information online and that this is the third most common activity online after checking email and using search engines (Brainard, 2011). While this may seem like a good thing on face value, there is still a debate over whether we are receiving helpful or even accurate information online.

Heffernan (2011) looks at some of the most popular symptom checker websites in her article “A Prescription for Fear.” According to her assessment, the Mayo Clinic Health Information site avoids hysteria, drug peddling and misinformation, which some other sites, she says, are still offering up. Heffernan (2011) goes so far as to describe WebMD as a “hypochondriac time suck,” and lambasts them for permitting pseudo medicine and subtle misinformation, while doing some “big pharma shilling.” Heffernan (2011) uses some pretty strong words to describe WebMD, such as in this quote: “It’s not only a waste of time, but it’s also a disorder in and of itself — one that preys on fear and vulnerability of its users to sell them half-truths and, eventually, pills.”

Hebbernan (2011) notes that now health sites have significant influence over how Americans think about their health and play a role in health care policy. Considering this role, Hebbernan (2011) illustrates the contrast between pharmaceutical company funded sites vs. non-profit sites and how one provides worst-case-scenario advice while the other provides basic information relevant to a majority of people. In reality, however, both sites accept money from pharmaceutical companies and others, just as most doctors are influenced by these companies (Brainard, 2011). Still, Brainard (2011) asked six health reporters which site they would prefer and they all said Mayo Clinic. Since there isn’t much third-party review of these health sites, and considering that 80 percent of the population has come to depend on them for health information,  it makes sense that there should be more scrutiny or skepticism on the part of the public. But that isn’t happening, and according to Brainard (2011), only 15 percent of people who find health information online actually check the sources. Add to that the propensity of people who gravitate toward worst-case-scenario information and there are many opportunities for online quackery (Brainard, 2011). Even worse are health sites with an agenda, such as the anti-vaccine movement.


Dr. Steve Ellen talks about some of the dangers of online diagnosis tools in this video: 

Fox (2011) found that about a quarter of Internet users look for information about food safety and recalls, pregnancy and drug safety, but about 66 percent look for information on specific diseases or a medical problem and about 56 percent look for information on medical treatment or procedures. They found a few disparities, however, such as people seeking out this information are primarily women, white, between the ages of 18 and 49, and have a high household income (Fox, 2011). In contrast, fewer than half of African Americans, Latinos, people with disabilities, adults over 65 and people with low-income households are seeking out this information (Fox, 2011).

This infographic shows how the online health care movement is playing out on mobile devises: 

http://hin.com/blog/2015/05/01/infographic-mobile-delivers-healthcare/

So, in conclusion, it is a good thing that people want to be more informed and are taking ownership of their health. But there needs to be more outside evaluation of the medical advice we are getting online and a more critical look taken by consumers to ensure they are getting accurate information. And there needs to be more equitable accessibility to these services so that where there are benefits, everyone knows about them and can utilize them. One thing is certain, health sites are completely transforming how we perceive and receive health care. It offers many promising outcomes but we still need to maintain a critical eye when trusting something as serious as diagnosing health issues online.


References
Brainard, C. (2011). Dr. Search Engine. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from http://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/dr_search_engine.php

Heffernan, V. (2011). A prescription for fear. The New York Times. Retrieved from  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/magazine/06FOB-Medium-t.html?_r=0

How Important is Digital Security for Journalists?

As hackers get more sophisticated and the government gets more aggressive, journalists need to have a plan for protecting their data and their sources. It’s no longer enough to have a good reputation for protecting the identity of your sources and sticking to your word, because everyone knows that a simple hack into your phone or laptop can reveal this information and more. And the government demonstrated through the AP phone records seizure, as well as through the Edward Snowden NSA revelations, that they can and will use their authority to collect your communications data without your authorization. 

The Wall Street Journal newscast below explains a bit more about what happened in the AP case. This situation illustrates the government’s desire to uncover news sources and their willingness to go around reporters and editors to do so.

And if you're looking for a bit more background on the Snowden revelations, this video provides details from the whistleblower himself:

At this year’s World Press Freedom Day, discussion and presentations focused on digital security for journalists, highlighting the plight of journalists jailed and harrased worldwide to suppress their work. Footage of the full conference can be seen here:

As a result of more aggressive tactics on behalf of the U.S. government, and governments and organizations worldwide, journalists are using technology to protect their data and their sources.

Simon (2014) notes that journalists have become so utterly dependent on electronic devises to manage their communications, create content and transmit content to their newsrooms that they need a mechanism for protecting that information from getting into the wrong hands. He suggests conducting a risk assessment to determine what information may be most at risk (Simon, 2014). For instance, if you are worried about your laptop being confiscated and interogators demanding your password, then encrypted communications might be the best route (Simon, 2014). He also suggests having an emergency plan, such as for what your editors should do if you get detained (Simon, 2014). They might be directed to shut down your email or Facebook account, for instance.

This is the new reality for journalists, particularly since so many are working remotely and depending heavily on their electronic devises. Governments, criminals, corporations, and any group looking to stop what a journalist is doing could potentially seek to retrieve information through a journalist’s devises. 

Smyth (n.d.) gives some basic recommendations for journalists, such as: keep your software and operating system updated; use good anti-virus and anti-spyware software; don’t leave your devises out of your site, especially in hostile areas; use good passwords, at least 12 keywords with a variety of characters; and don’t fall for shady looking email attachments. Smyth (n.d.) recommends checking out Security in-a-Box, which provides a ton of tools that can be helpful in ramping up your digital security. If it is your communication you are concerned with, you may want to consider a secure email service like Riseup, which was built by Internet freedom activists and offers encryption services (Smyth, n.d.). For instant messageing, he recommends Pidgin, which allows for off-the-record conversations. For larger scale security, you may want to consider encryption software that covers emails and files, such as PGP or GPG (Smyth, n.d.). Since we are being monitored through our browsing history, downloading the Tor browser can help you surf the web anonymously.

As far as mobile security, Smyth (n.d.) reminds us that smartphones can potentially turn into tracking devises or an eavesdropping devise, so it’s a good idea to turn it off when you are in a sensitive area or doing sensitive work. You also might want to go a step further and use a pre-paid phone that can’t be traced back to you (Smyth, n.d.).

To get a better grasp on how journalists are using digital security tools as well as how journalist’s alter their behavior based on the perception that they are being monitored, check out the Pew Research Center’s 2015 report on digital security. The report illustrates how the work of journalists has changed based on their perceptions of potential data breaches (Holcomb, et al. 2015). The report (Holcomb, et al. 2015) explains that journalists are taking more measures to protect their data in response to a perceived threat from governments and hackers. For instance, it found that a majority of journalists don’t believe their organizations are doing enough to protect them, so they are taking measures into their own hands. This data is illustrated in the infograhsipc below:

http://www.journalism.org/2015/02/05/investigative-journalists-and-digital-security/

I recently attended a cybersecurity conference in the Virgin Islands by the federal contractor RecoilForce to see if I could get any tips on how to protect myself. It was highly technical and not applicable to someone not in the field of cybersecurity, but I was able to talk to a lot of professionals and understand the issues a bit better. One of the big takeaways was learning that despite what you do to protect your data, if someone is determined enough, they will get it. To stay on top of it, cybersecurity professionals take on the role of hacker and learn the latest techniques. As far as protection, it comes down to street smarts more than anything else. Be aware, be safe, recognize your weak points and do your best to protect what needs protecting. Unfortunately, cybersecurity is something that needs to be on every journalist’s radar. You can’t simply promise your sources anonymity. You have to make that promise, then show them all the steps you are taking to ensure no one will figure it out through some backdoor you forgot to lock.

References:

Holcomb, J.; Mitchell, A. & Purcell, K. (2015). Investigative journalists and digital security. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org/2015/02/05/investigative-journalists-and-digital-security/

Simon, J. (2014). How journalists can protect their digital information. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/joel_simon_column.php

Smyth, F. (n.d.). Digital security basics for journalists. Medill, National Security Zone. Retrieved from http://nationalsecurityzone.org/site/digital-security-basics-for-journalists/

What Journalists Need to Know to Master Social Media

It’s no secret that social media is yet another Internet byproduct redefining how we communicate while disrupting the news business. People are getting accustomed to having the news delivered to them via their newsfeed and therefore news outlets are losing the coveted direct-to-site consumer. News outlets have had to give up some control over distribution of their products in order to address the changing ways news is consumed. But what does this mean for individual journalists? What new skills will help us make our stories more sharable without jeopardizing the integrity of our work? And what social media skills can actually assist in our reporting?

One of the first things every journalist needs to understand is how their stories are being shared on social media. This is easier said than done since the most popular social media site, Facebook, is constantly changing its algorithm for sharing news (Breiner, 2015). Their latest change gives sharing priority to video content (Breiner, 2015), so this can help journalists when determining which parts of their stories to share on social media, such as sharing a video with a link to the full story, if you have both. Google’s latest change to their algorithm for sharing news offers up more corporate press releases, further diminishing traffic going to news sites (Breiner, 2015). Google and Facebook also both favor mobile-friendly sites in their feeds (Breiner, 2015).

Considering Google and Facebook control about 70 percent of mobile marketing revenues, having them control distribution is further transferring control of content and the revenues tied to that content away from the organizations producing the content. The sheer mass of people visiting Facebook and Google daily means they have access to demographic and psychographic data as well as control over what people see, meaning advertisers have more opportunities for customized and targeted marketing, something news organizations struggle with on their own.

Facebook and Google, however, aren’t the only ones who can use algorithms to suit their needs and customize their content. Journalists can use them too, or utilize other tools that use algorithms meant to assist in reporting. Dataminr, for instance, can compile items being shared on social media marked as potentially important for a reporter, based on keywords they enter (Sobel, 2015). A tool like this can allow a reporter to monitor their beat for potential stories, while also keeping their finger on the social media pulse. Dataminr represents a new generation of “social listening” tools, as Sobel (2015) explains. Sobel (2015) says the social web has become just as valuable for story hunting as for story promotion.

This infographic shows just how dramatically social media has impacted the work of communication professionals:

 http://www.ing.com/Newsroom/All-news/NW/2014-Study-impact-of-Social-Media-on-News-more-crowdchecking-less-factchecking.htm

So, taking into account the importance of social media in sharing and reporting the news, I came up with five skills journalists should master in order to thrive on the social web:

1. Content sharability. It’s helpful to think about how your content is going to be shared after it leaves your editor’s hands. A photo will mean your post will give readers something to look at and a video means it has a better chance of getting shared. Adding an emotional element to your story will increase your story's sharability but more importantly it will make it more engaging to readers (Drinker, 2015).
2. Social listening. You’re probably already on Facebook, Twitter, maybe even Google + or Instagram. But have you mastered the art of using these platforms to find stories? If not you may consider social listening tools like News Whip or Dataminr to help you follow your beat, stay on top of breaking news and what is going on around the world on social media (Sobel, 2015). Really, do you have the time to stroll through every tweet every day or monitor every hashtag? No, and if you do you have problems. Social listening tools do this for you, so it’s worth a shot.
3. Tact. Ok, this might seem like a no brainer, but we’ve seen too many journalists put their foots in their mouth on social media not to make a mention of it. It’s tough to set your story loose on social media only for it to be overrun by angry trolls. But before you go rebutting every jackass with a keyboard and a grudge, talk to your news outlet on their policies about this (Kolodzy, 2013). Most would prefer you talk to the editors before potentially inflaming the situation or risking your credibility by taking the bait. Basically, think before you write.
4. Distinguish virility from newsworthy. This really depends on where you work. Some organizations are looking specifically for viral content without care of a story’s potential impact on the world. Others care about virility but want a social focus as well, like Upworthy. However, most news organizations want at least some news value in their stories. Editors may encourage their reporters to find viral content but there is nothing better than viral content that actually matters or has some consequences on the world (Llopis, 2014). Bottom line, know the difference and adjust your reporting accordingly.
5. Don’t forget the basic rules of journalism. This should actually be No. 1. Going back to the above infographic on social media’s influence on the news business, you will notice that fact checking has taken a back seat in this era of the social web. While much has changed with how news is reported and disseminated, the tried and true rules still apply. This means remembering the who, what, where, when, why and how of every story (Kolodzy, 2013). It also means keeping a focus on ethics, accuracy, fact checking and proper attribution. Meeting the demands of the news hungry public is no excuse for sloppy reporting. Remember, social media will not forget these mistakes, just as quickly as they celebrate your scoop and speed, they will chastise you for missteps. There are also laws that govern media and while it is ok, even encouraged, to quote people from social media and use it to follow stories, remember that people who aren’t public figures have a greater right to privacy. Also remember that just because you have the legal right to take someone’s Facebook profile and publish it doesn’t mean it is always the ethical thing to do.

Now that the rules are out of the way and we’ve explained some of the key factors of social media journalism, we’ll leave you with some inspirational words from Paul Lewis. There are many negative things happening to journalism as a result of social media, but there are positive developments as well. There are stories being told that might not otherwise have been on our radar. People formerly voiceless have been given an outlet. Ending on a positive note, we try to look ahead at the possibilities because, well, there are many.

References

Breiner, J. (2015). How Facebook and Google are capturing news traffic and advertising. International Journalists’ Network. Retrieved from http://ijnet.org/en/blog/how-facebook-and-google-are-capturing-news-traffic-and-advertising

Drinker, A. (2015). 7 Simple Tips to Increase Content Shareability in 2015. Business 2 Community. Retrieved from http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/7-simple-tips-increase-content-shareability-2015-01126525

Kolodzy, J. (2013). Practicing Convergence Journalism. Routlede. New York, NY.

Llopis, G. (2014). Top 7 Reasons Your Content Goes Viral. Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2014/02/24/top-7-reasons-your-content-goes-viral/

Sobel, A. (2015). The new importance of ‘social listening’ tools. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from http://www.cjr.org/analysis/the_new_importance_of_social_listening_tools.php

Web Video: Learning These Skills Could Help Save Journalism

Web video could be the thing that brings journalism revenues back to sustainable levels while also providing marketers with a more reliable way to reach potential customers. 

Since so many news outlets offer a full compliment of multimedia stories, featuring text, audio, graphics, video, slideshows and links, the skills in a journalist’s toolbox are expanding all the time. Newspapers, such as the New York Times and the Guardian, have been among the pioneers adding video to their portfolio of offerings and innovating with how video packages are created and shared (Ngo, 2012). Shows like TimesCast by the New York Times, Reuters TV by Reuters, WSJ Live by the Wall Street Journal and others are reinventing how news is consumed online, as well as how video journalism is done (Ngo, 2012). Sometimes they publish full video news packages, similar to what is seen on network television news. More often, however, news organizations are using video online to supplement a traditional news article, by adding a video interview or Q & A to give people the option of watching in addition to reading an article. 

By increasing use of web video, news outlets hope to offer more user engagements and generate higher ad revenues, but the future of online video journalism is still unknown (Ngo, 2012). With little else to grasp onto as a potential savior for the news business, many remain hopeful that it will take off and provide a much-needed revenue stream tied directly with content.

This infographic demonstrates the potential for web video, showing that online video is already in high demand:

Source: http://dmakproductions.com/blog/infographic-online-video-what-were-watching-and-how-were-watching-it/

Skills to produce video packages online include script writing, shooting b-roll, shooting stand ups, narration, catching soundbites, producing animated graphics, etc (Kolodzy, 2013). These skills — in addition to the traditional skills of interviewing, researching and understanding the fundamentals of journalism — make for a well-rounded journalist ready to produce web video for a variety of news outlets and audiences.

In this YouTube video, a video journalist explains what skills she needs in her job, as well as what led her to her current position:

Reed (2013) explains that digital advertising still hasn’t offered news outlets the type of revenue they got from print advertising. Web video could help bridge the revenue gap because it is audience-centric and advertising can be embedded directly into the content (Reed, 2013). This is significant because much of digital advertising revenue has been going to service providers and tech companies rather than news outlets. In addition to understanding the value and potential of web video, as well as having the skills to produce it, Reed (2013) says journalists need to know how to share it and bring people to their content.

I remember when I had my aha moment about the importance of video skills for journalists today. So many news organizations are now requiring or favoring prospective employees who can do web video. As managing editor of a small print-only newspaper, I was hiring a reporter and I noticed a lot of the potential employees were touting their video skills, which we had no use for. I found a suitable candidate, who had a variety of skills, and we negotiated a good salary. Then at the last minute he turned down the job and said he didn’t want to risk losing his video skills at a print-only paper. I remember thinking, I’ve been here 8 years, I guess I’ve lost all my video skills. I left several months after that and went back to school to freshen up my skills. 

References:

Kolodzy, J. (2013). Practicing Convergence Journalism. Routlede. New York, NY.

Ngo, S. (2012). Networks schmetworks. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from 

http://www.cjr.org/feature/networks_schmetworks.php

Reed, M. (2013). Nine challenges facing the future of journalism. International Journalists’ Network. Retrieved from http://ijnet.org/en/blog/nine-challenges-facing-future-journalism