Pay television is a stable in today's media landscape but there has been very little discussion about online pay walls for broadcast content. A local case in point is the radio coverage of AFL football in Australia. Until 2010, fans outside of Victoria could live stream football commentary via the webpage of the broadcasting radio station. This essentially allows a global audience to access a local product and in turn contributes to growing the game and game revenues.
The decision by the AFL in 2011 to construct pay walls in front of this coverage is an interesting development. All traffic attempting to access live streaming of commentary online is now redirected to the "AFL Match Centre" where content is then available under a user pays system. Previously users could access the broadcasters webpage and live stream the same content local audiences were listening to via their radio: SEN or ABC Grandstand. Now users find a continual loop message redirecting them to the Match Centre site.
I believe this decision raises interesting questions about content that is essentially free to some consumers and charged to others based on the distribution platform. Whether this is legal or not I'll leave to others to decide but I think it highlights the evolutionary nature of the online environment. There is one thing I'm sure about. The AFL is a trailblazer in the sports administration field in Australia so it's only a matter of time until NRL and Rugby fans will have dig deep to listen to their favourite games as well.
Note: links will illustrate my point during live coverage times of AFL games.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Where do I start
Social media has changed communication for many people in many different ways. As previously discussed, journalists can use the medium to hunt for stories and or have stories come to them via a social media platform. One unique way it can be used is as what I would describe as a fishing net. Let me explain. You have a story idea but it is fairly random and you need to find some interesting talent that fit the bill for the angle you are looking for. Enter social media. I'll use a recent story idea at a QT editorial meeting as an example.
The idea was to do a local story on the highly popular family stickers that are appearing on many cars across the country. The editor though wanted to find an unusual family with many stickers for a large blended family rather than Mum/Dad and 2 kids. Not knowing how to efficiently go about finding such a family the journalist posted requests on the newspapers Facebook page and within minutes the responses flooded in. Included in the Facebook responses was this one; "I have 2 gay dads... 4 kids... 2 dogs.. A fish.. A turtle.. And a lizard.. On both cars... We are so proud of our mixed family xo.
Enough said. Social media to the rescue. A source was found and the story is well underway.
The idea was to do a local story on the highly popular family stickers that are appearing on many cars across the country. The editor though wanted to find an unusual family with many stickers for a large blended family rather than Mum/Dad and 2 kids. Not knowing how to efficiently go about finding such a family the journalist posted requests on the newspapers Facebook page and within minutes the responses flooded in. Included in the Facebook responses was this one; "I have 2 gay dads... 4 kids... 2 dogs.. A fish.. A turtle.. And a lizard.. On both cars... We are so proud of our mixed family xo.
Enough said. Social media to the rescue. A source was found and the story is well underway.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Many more ways to tell an online story
A key feature of online news is links to additional content. Functional and relevant links can add to the quality of the story being told whereas irrelevant links, particularly those that direct you outside the primary site, can encourage a user to search elsewhere for their news content.
A case in point is the current coverage of the Daniel Morcombe case.
Couriermail.com.au provides regularly updated text stories as the story unfolds. In addition they provide links to video content and photographic slide-shows. The video content is Sky News stories of the same event but tells the story differently through the use of pictures. Importantly the links do not direct you outside the Courier Mail's primary website but instead embeds the video content into it's webpages. From a navigation point of view the website uses a "related coverage" fact box to the side of the main story rather than embedded hyperlinks. This allows the reader to read the main text story without interruption and then chose to view the additional content if they so choose.
ABC.net.au is also providing coverage of the unfolding event. In many ways the style is similar to that of the Courier Mail. ABC also uses "related stories" links in lieu of embedded links. Both sites provide a small version of a Google Map within the stories to give the reader additional information directly relevant to the story. This means there is no need to leave the primary news site to view a map. Readers are offered the option of enlarging the map, however when you choose this option you are then directed outside the original site to Google Maps.
In essence both sites provide regularly updated content on a story that people are following closely and the additional multimedia content on both sites is relevant and adds to the story.
A case in point is the current coverage of the Daniel Morcombe case.
Couriermail.com.au provides regularly updated text stories as the story unfolds. In addition they provide links to video content and photographic slide-shows. The video content is Sky News stories of the same event but tells the story differently through the use of pictures. Importantly the links do not direct you outside the Courier Mail's primary website but instead embeds the video content into it's webpages. From a navigation point of view the website uses a "related coverage" fact box to the side of the main story rather than embedded hyperlinks. This allows the reader to read the main text story without interruption and then chose to view the additional content if they so choose.
ABC.net.au is also providing coverage of the unfolding event. In many ways the style is similar to that of the Courier Mail. ABC also uses "related stories" links in lieu of embedded links. Both sites provide a small version of a Google Map within the stories to give the reader additional information directly relevant to the story. This means there is no need to leave the primary news site to view a map. Readers are offered the option of enlarging the map, however when you choose this option you are then directed outside the original site to Google Maps.
In essence both sites provide regularly updated content on a story that people are following closely and the additional multimedia content on both sites is relevant and adds to the story.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Social Media as source material
I was fascinated to read the Walkely feature on RSS feeds. While I've heard of RSS before I didn't understand what it was or how powerful a tool it can be. I think the line that suggested RSS is "the most important tool at a reporter’s disposal", peaked my interest more than any other. It gave me an insight into how to filter through the enormous volume of online content to find what I may need to be a better reporter.
As I begin work next week at the Queensland Times I will be setting up my RSS feed to focus on issues and keywords in the Ipswich region and tagging them to the local area. I'm confident this engagement with social media will provide leads for good stories that otherwise may remain hidden.
Personally a tool like RSS will make me far more engaged with all social media and online news content. The stumbling block for many people is the time commitment required to trawl through masses of irrelevant information in search of that gem of information that may lead to a new angle or new story.
Of course this discovery will help with my recent commitment to Twitter. I hope that I will now be able to focus on specific subject matter at different times to ensure I have access to the most up to date information possible.
As I begin work next week at the Queensland Times I will be setting up my RSS feed to focus on issues and keywords in the Ipswich region and tagging them to the local area. I'm confident this engagement with social media will provide leads for good stories that otherwise may remain hidden.
Personally a tool like RSS will make me far more engaged with all social media and online news content. The stumbling block for many people is the time commitment required to trawl through masses of irrelevant information in search of that gem of information that may lead to a new angle or new story.
Of course this discovery will help with my recent commitment to Twitter. I hope that I will now be able to focus on specific subject matter at different times to ensure I have access to the most up to date information possible.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question!
So perhaps it's time to embrace Twitter. I've had my account for quite a while now but to be fair I've found it more of a time waster than a resource. While I have found useful information from a variety of sources, I feel you would need to be on it virtually 24/7 to get any real value from it. The problem as I see it, is that the useful information is that which is immediate. So unless you are checking you feed at ten minute intervals then you will miss most of that information. As time goes on we are expected to embrace more and more devices and technologies and frankly I just don't have the time to bother.
So I've decided to try to use my mobile twitter application on a more regular basis to see whether or not it really enhances my information gathering ability.
I'll also keep my twitter page open at all times while online. I think in this realm it's a much more useful tool because you can flick back and forth to it with less interruption to other tasks.
So time will tell. At least for now it is TIME TO TWEET!
So I've decided to try to use my mobile twitter application on a more regular basis to see whether or not it really enhances my information gathering ability.
I'll also keep my twitter page open at all times while online. I think in this realm it's a much more useful tool because you can flick back and forth to it with less interruption to other tasks.
So time will tell. At least for now it is TIME TO TWEET!
Monday, May 10, 2010
KCB201 WK12 “I Believe…” New Media, Beliefs and Politics
Does New Media play an influential role in the beliefs and values that exist within society?
Of course it does.
Like the books, newspapers, radio and television before it all media platforms have played a pivotal role is distributing the information that helps us determine our values and beliefs. New media is no different although it does have a twist. The democratised nature of the internet through open source software now allows people to not only consume this information but also to create and distribute it.
Citizen Journalism is one movement that exemplifies this more than most. In a time when the role of traditional journalists is being eroded more than ever before opportunities for individuals to share their beliefs and values with a wider audience have never been greater. The “MyMissourian project” is one example of a format that promotes citizen journalism as a supplement to traditional journalism via an umbrella model (Bentley et al, 2007). Unlike successful existing citizen journalism models such as OhMyNews, MyMissourian decided to function as an addition to traditional news operations rather than a competitor. Uniquely, it created opportunities for amateurs to share their views and be mentored by professionals at the same time.
Religion is another interesting area to view with respect to the use of new media. The acceptance of new technologies into a religious belief systems steeped in old world tradition seems to be somewhat of an oxymoron. “Believers tend to be older and hence less likely to take up CMC technologies, while younger, more Internet-savvy persons are less likely to affiliate themselves with traditional religions”(Ess, 2007). I believe generational change within religious power bases will have more effect on the use of new media than the religious movements themselves.
References:
Bentley, C., Hamman, B., Littau, J., Meyer, H., Watson, B. and Welsh, B. (2007). Citizen Journalism: a Case Study. In Blogging, Citizenship, and the Future of Media, Tremayne, Mark (ed.). New York: Taylor & Francis: 239-259.
Ess, C. (2007). Cross-cultural perspectives on religion and computer-mediated communication. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(3), article 9.
Of course it does.
Like the books, newspapers, radio and television before it all media platforms have played a pivotal role is distributing the information that helps us determine our values and beliefs. New media is no different although it does have a twist. The democratised nature of the internet through open source software now allows people to not only consume this information but also to create and distribute it.
Citizen Journalism is one movement that exemplifies this more than most. In a time when the role of traditional journalists is being eroded more than ever before opportunities for individuals to share their beliefs and values with a wider audience have never been greater. The “MyMissourian project” is one example of a format that promotes citizen journalism as a supplement to traditional journalism via an umbrella model (Bentley et al, 2007). Unlike successful existing citizen journalism models such as OhMyNews, MyMissourian decided to function as an addition to traditional news operations rather than a competitor. Uniquely, it created opportunities for amateurs to share their views and be mentored by professionals at the same time.
Religion is another interesting area to view with respect to the use of new media. The acceptance of new technologies into a religious belief systems steeped in old world tradition seems to be somewhat of an oxymoron. “Believers tend to be older and hence less likely to take up CMC technologies, while younger, more Internet-savvy persons are less likely to affiliate themselves with traditional religions”(Ess, 2007). I believe generational change within religious power bases will have more effect on the use of new media than the religious movements themselves.
References:
Bentley, C., Hamman, B., Littau, J., Meyer, H., Watson, B. and Welsh, B. (2007). Citizen Journalism: a Case Study. In Blogging, Citizenship, and the Future of Media, Tremayne, Mark (ed.). New York: Taylor & Francis: 239-259.
Ess, C. (2007). Cross-cultural perspectives on religion and computer-mediated communication. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(3), article 9.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
KCB201 WK11: Writing an essay
Writing an academic essay is predominately about research and structure. If you fail to meet the standard in either of these two categories, then it is likely you will present a substandard essay.
Personally I believe structure is the key component to a successful essay and I always begin my essays with the basic structure of Introduction, Body Paragraphs and Conclusion. After which I add concept ideas to each body subheading from the research I have undertaken.
My next step is to structure my individual paragraphs to support my argument. I use the Topic, Restriction and Illustration style (TRI) (Jenkins Thomas, 2009) as my paragraph structure and always try to ensure that I use relevant references to support my argument.
I often write an introduction to begin, however I always return to my introduction after writing the body of the essay to clarify my thesis statement and make sure it is relevant to the topics I have discussed.
Finally, my conclusion is designed to restate my initial argument and summarize the body of essay.
I find writing academic essays challenging, but highly rewarding. It is very different from the journalism style of writing that is my main interest. Academic writing gives me the opportunity to research an idea in great depth and present my point of view in a concise and professional way.
References:
Jenkins, G & Thomas, G. (2009), KKB101 Week 9 Lecture Slides: Accessed 5 May 2010, from. http://delicious.com/kkb101_09SE1/week09+lecture
Personally I believe structure is the key component to a successful essay and I always begin my essays with the basic structure of Introduction, Body Paragraphs and Conclusion. After which I add concept ideas to each body subheading from the research I have undertaken.
My next step is to structure my individual paragraphs to support my argument. I use the Topic, Restriction and Illustration style (TRI) (Jenkins Thomas, 2009) as my paragraph structure and always try to ensure that I use relevant references to support my argument.
I often write an introduction to begin, however I always return to my introduction after writing the body of the essay to clarify my thesis statement and make sure it is relevant to the topics I have discussed.
Finally, my conclusion is designed to restate my initial argument and summarize the body of essay.
I find writing academic essays challenging, but highly rewarding. It is very different from the journalism style of writing that is my main interest. Academic writing gives me the opportunity to research an idea in great depth and present my point of view in a concise and professional way.
References:
Jenkins, G & Thomas, G. (2009), KKB101 Week 9 Lecture Slides: Accessed 5 May 2010, from. http://delicious.com/kkb101_09SE1/week09+lecture
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