Transcript
By Jennifer Brannock CoxUniversity of Florida
Today’s Objectives:Explore the opportunities & challenges
associated with backpack journalism
Discuss new storytelling processes that incorporate a range of skills
In-class exercise in backpack journalism with peer review
Class discussion on ways to use new technologies
What is backpack journalism?A tool kit
What is backpack journalism?OR
What is backpack journalism?A process:1. Social networking
What is backpack journalism?A process:2. Web hit
What is backpack journalism?A process:3. Second-day story
What is backpack journalism?A process:4. Recording/editing audio
What is backpack journalism?A process:5. Capturing/editing photos
What is backpack journalism?A process:6. Capturing/editing video
What is backpack journalism?A challenge
What is backpack journalism?A challenge
BURNOUT
What is backpack journalism?An opportunity
What is backpack journalism?An opportunity
Your Turn!
A Tweet
A web hit
Plan a second-day story
Plan the audio
Plan the photos
Plan the video
TweetingAllows you to:
Get the story out quicklyAppeal to a mass audienceFocus on a central themeDrive viewers to the online product
Search Engine Optimization
TweetingUsing the prompt:
Write a 140-character TweetTry to use searchable words and phrasesUse proper nounsFind the most important piece of news to share5 minutes, then volunteers to share
Writing a web hitWhat is a web hit?
How long do reporters have to write them?
When is a web hit appropriate?
How are web hits communicated?
Writing news for online
Need confirmation before posting/publicationHaving it first versus having it right
Brief -- just the basic facts. Must know now.
Summary/hard news lede
Inverted pyramid – most important first, what is still to happen last
Writing news for online
Typically 3-5 grafs
Typically one or no quotes
Present tense and past tense together
Today OK; still no tomorrow or yesterday
Web hit promptWhat information should go in the lede?
What information should be excluded?
What information might be redundant?
What information should we end with?
Web hitTake 10-15 minutes
Write 3-5 grafs
I will look over your shoulder
Proofread with a partner
Second-day storyWhat information is still needed?
What information that we already have should be included?
What sources do we need?
What kind of color should we get?
Technological helpersUse social media to gather sources
Use online tools to solicit contributions
Use social media to promote the story
Use new technology, like Storify, to organize a new kind of story
Collecting/editing audioShort – 2-3 minutes
Good background noise
Good sound bites
Deep explanation
Isolate sources
Collecting/editing audioWhat kind of background noise can we get?
What sources should we interview?
What kinds of quotes should we listen for?
Challenges?
Taking photosLook for pictures that tell a story
Faces convey emotion; inanimate objects do not
Try different angles
Never pose pictures
Gather caption information
Taking videoAlways take at least 10 seconds of each shot
Refrain from panning and zooming too much
Minimize your voice, comments
Rule of thirds
Use a variety of angles
Taking photos & videoWhat shots should we look for?
What angles could we use?
What details do we need?
Challenges?
Key PointsJournalists entering newsrooms should be familiar
with backpack journalism technology & process
Technology is not a substitute for good writing
Just because you can doesn’t always mean that you should
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