Multi-Media Journalism

The new breed of journalist, the mobile journalist. These days a journalist can capture an entire story with nothing less than their mobile phone. This concept is also itself becoming “news” as in the article, “Why the media is on the move”

Advances in mobile technology have allowed journalists to capture and report on more events than ever before. Mobile phones are now equipped with cameras, video camera’s, internet, email and Bluetooth technology. This means that these journalist’s or “mojo’s” can capture a story, interview people, take pictures or video and can get that back to their editor and into the newspaper or online version of the newspaper or television or radio broadcast without even having to return to the office.

This weeks reading, 5 video blogs that do it right introduces the concept of video blogs. My blog is primarily based on the written word with links to video or websites to support my ideas. A video blog is entertaining and has strength of being able to physically show emotion and has a different ability to engage the audience. However I feel that video blogs lack in the area of being able to support arguments. In this blog I can provide links to websites, video’s, articles, slideshows and other blogs. This cannot be done with a video blog. The lines between online television programs and video blogs become blurred, many blogs out there with daily updates almost become like a daily news or television program. An example of this is mobuzz TV, this is classified as a blog but even the name of the blog suggests that it crosses the line to being TV.

This week’s reading discusses Singapore’s online newspaper, http://www.stomp.com.sg/. This online newspaper is one of the biggest online papers that are comprised with majority of content being user generated content.

An exciting element of stomp is that it values the stories that user generated content can add and it encourages the citizens of Singapore to use the technology they have available to them to capture any sort of newsworthy events that occur on a daily basis.

In addition to citizens photo’s, videos and stories making it into their online version, many of the stories also make it into their actual print version. I explored stomp and have included here some interesting examples of how user generated content is being used and how citizens are capturing stories that otherwise would have gone untold. This style of news means that we do not have the constraints that journalists face, in that I mean journalists cannot be everywhere and cannot always make it to big stories. Usually the first people on the scene are citizens and with increases in technologies such as these we have greater access to more news than ever before.

Here are just a few examples of stories sent in by citizens on stomp:

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=34325

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=33939

This week we looked at the “newer” forms of multi-media journalism, ones that perhaps have not quite made it into our everyday lives as yet, but with growing popularity and increased access to better technology they will be “it”. An example of this is podcasts which are growing in popularity but research shows that they are not used on a daily basis as are some other forms of multi-media. However this is a very easily accessible form of multi-media, you just need to click the link to the podcast you wish to subscribe, for example: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/listen/podcast.htm and hit subscribe and it is all yours.

I also had a play around this week with making a slideshow and I found that http://www.slide.com/ was the easiest tool for me as a beginner. Follow the below link to see my attempt.

Miley

This week’s lecture took me in a new direction of perspective with the idea of multi-media journalism. I love the idea of OhMy news and Korea has truly created a space where media content is in the control of the people and not the mass media bug shots. http://english.ohmynews.com/english/eng_section.asp?article_class=3.

They have actually created a place where ordinary citizens can be transformed into “real” journalists. I was very impressed with the process used to ensure validity of citizens stories and that unlike a blog the content can and is regulated. I like the concept that “every citizen is a reporter”. I enjoy this direction for media as I am a person who likes to consider all points of views and opinions on any given topic and with mainstream media there is usually one or two uniform stories that you hear, see or read regardless of the publication.

I read over a few articles from Ohmy news and found that the articles are articulate and very well written, they are interesting and use a very journalistic style. This is very impressive considering that many of the author’s do not have formal journalism qualifications. There was one article that I liked in particular and the title really caught my attention: “Are biofuels an inconvenient truth” http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=7&no=383319&rel_no=1. Not the most interesting topic, however the title and the style of writing kept me interested. I would really like to see Australian media move in this direction, it would most certainly be interesting.

I must say that so far this week’s readings have been the most interesting for me. I was very interested to learn that the concept of free originated with Gillette and how this concept is a huge part of our everyday lives today. Until reading how to make money around free content on http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Main_Page I was unaware that I am constantly purchasing in this way. I enjoy shopping for the special “buy one, get one free” or purchase x to get y free. I always purchase when it is clinique free gift time even though I do not need to, but their ”free” gifts are really good http://www.clinique.com.au/. How can I resist this?

I did a little further research into how business is making use of this concept of free in the online form and I came across an interesting article; http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/17/yourmoney/media.php.

This article demonstrates how the online gaming world is making money from free. Electronic arts the maker of the game Fifa 07 realised in South Korea consumers had been downloading the game for free and so to combat this they allowed the free downloading of the game but then created a range of upgrades that players could purchase. This would allow players to have an edge of other players and enhance their game; this demonstrates a perfect example of how they have turned free into profit.

I really enjoyed this weeks reading. It demonstrated the process by which news has changed over time. I quite agree with the notion that that the news has become less of a lecture and more of a conversation. We certainly do live in a society where ideas, opinions and attitudes are questioned and challenged alot more than in previous generations. With the emergence of the internet and advances in technology it has become a situation whereby anyone with an opinion can have it heard in the greater community. It left me questioning how wiki’s are regulated, if they can be added to and updated by anyone how does this informatiin stay accurate? Perhaps something I will reserach further. With that in mind I question does anyone regulate blog content, can it be regulated? Obviously those blogs that are written and maintained by mainstream journalists working for big media outlets will be monitored and regulated. Is the blog a free space for non journalists to publish anything they like and get away with it?

This week’s reading was fascinating. I agree with the idea that we live in a consumer dictated society. In all areas of business including the media industry consumer demands are driving the way business is conducted. Society has changed in that big business and media would determine what consumer’s would receive but now in the current climate of competition we have seen a turn towards consumers choosing what they want, therefore big business and the media have had to adapt and provide to the needs of the consumer.

This reading discusses exactly how newspaper media has converged to this by providing news coverage free on the internet. By doing so they have catered more to a consumer market. The traditional paper format of a newspaper meant that even if a consumer wanted only to read a certain article or section of the newspaper they were still required to purchase the whole paper to have access to the information or story they were after. Now with the availability of the anywhere, anytime and free news on the internet consumers who only want select information can gain access to it from their own home or office, thus eliminating the need to purchase the entire newspaper.

Well this is my first attempt at writing a blog entry. I have read chapter 5 of Journalism 2.0 and I learned many terms I had never heard in my life! I was fascinated to learn that journalist use this as a means of disseminating their stories. When I thought of Blog’s I always thought it was just a means for everyday people with opinions to have their say. Well obviously they are an interactive media that has been put to quite serious use. I read this blog that was a link in the chapter, http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/ and the first entry I read was quite serious. I was suprised that content such as this existed in blog format. I have realised from this reading that I also have a lot of learning to do in regards to using this technology. I look forward to making more posts and perhaps even starting a blog roll with other students.

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