Technology for Journalists
Blogs and Twitter
What we’ll go over today
A. What is expected out of blogs/twitter
B. Blogs vs. traditional print reporting
Blogs
Content
Frequency
Connectivity
Blogs: Content
How does content on a news blog differ from that in a newspaper?
- Length: Generally speaking, newspaper stories are longer than blog
entries, which often are just a few hundred words.
- Subject matter: Limited. Clear focus or niche. Often targets a particular
audience.
- Medium: Available online, often not replicated in print. May drive
readers to other parts of news organization or other content.
- Chronology: Posts appear in reverse chronological order.
- Timely…
Blogs: Frequency
Frequency arguably matters just as much as depth of content.
News blog content is updated frequently, perhaps before the “full” picture has
been gathered.
Posts may not rise to a level of importance that merits space in print
publication.
Just interesting: Today’s news blogs grew out of authors’ online journals.
Speed v. Accuracy
Blogs: Connectivity
Content
Community
- Blog posts often link to other news
reporting or online content
- Encourages public discourse
(comments, links, etc.)
- Links enables readers to explore a
topic in greater detail
- Blog posts may respond, challenge,
add to, etc., others’ arguments or
reports
- Adds credibility… and lets your work
be found on the web
Blogs
CNN's Science Blog : http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com
WBEZ Jim DeRogatis music blog: http://www.wbez.org/blogs/jim-derogatis
Sports : http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/
NYT's Nate Silver: http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/
Twitter
What are the differences/similarities between news blogs
and Twitter?
Big difference:
Twitter is “microblogging.” Allows for 140 characters—meaning it offers
even smaller bites of content.
Similarities:
– Reverse chronological order.
– Drives readers elsewhere.
– Encourages discourse, via responses,
retweets, etc.
Twitter
#--what does it do for journalists?
-
Helps users group information, find information on particular subject
Contributes to discourse
Searchable
Enables broader audience to find your content
Used to identify Trending Topics
Twitter
@--what good is it to journalists?
- User name or handle
- Linked/Searchable
- Allows users to direct messages to an individual, but in public setting
- twitter.com/usernamehere = @usernamehere
Twitter
- “Following” means the user’s content appears in your news feed.
- One-way
- Direct messages are private, but can only be sent to those who follow you.
Twitter
Speed v. Accuracy
CNN Breaking News
✔ @cnnbrk
Investigators believe they've ID'd suspect in
Boston bombings, source tells
@JohnKingCNN
http://on.cnn.com/17FSY7w
12:04 PM - 17 Apr 2013
Official: Two men sought as possible
suspects in Boston bombing
Investigators ask for authorities in tracking
down 2 men who they consider "possible
suspects," a law enforcement official said.
CNN @CNN
Wordpress
Started in 2003
Most popular blogging system online
About 20 percent of all new websites use Wordpress
Allows for high level of customization
and it’s free!
Wordpress
Getting started
- Picking a theme
- Title!
- Author/About you section
- First post
Twitter
Getting started
FirstnameLastnameLUC@twitter.com
- Setting up account, bio, Wordpress link (reflexive)
- Start following … and be followed