On Blogs, Being a Blogger, Blogging, Reading Blogs and so forth.

BLOGS
The word Blog actually comes as a contraction from the word Web Log, it is a chronological log of personal thoughts and ideas written on the internet. A blog is typically run by an individual or small group and is written informally. It can be updated on a daily, weekly, hourly or however often you require basis.

BEING A BLOGGER
Anyone can be a blogger, you just set up a blog and away you go! The trick is having something interesting to say. There are lots platforms on the web that you can use to start your blog: Tumblr, Wordpress, Blogger, Ghost, Wardrobe, Postagon are just a few that you can look at.

BLOGGING
Having something interesting to blog about is the key to a successful blog. My blog is all about Journalism and it's just me sharing my opinion! The Journalism blogs that will get the most traffic will be those from already established and trustworthy sources; those that are writing about current affairs that are of interest and those that try to generate exposure. You can write about news stories, the news coverage, tips and tricks, trending or anything that you want to talk about...it's your blog!

READING BLOGS
One of the best ways to improve your writing is to READ and to specifically read other blogs. This will teach you what you need to know and help you to develop your writing and your technique.

AND SO FORTH
Blogging is one of the first steps of self-promotion you can take in the 'online community' where you will actually be able to voice your opinions. It's where you can build your professional reputation and let people know who you are and what you believe....they may even want to hire you or work with you in the future. It's the platform you can use to test out your ideas and get real feedback. You are able to share your knowledge and promote your work to professionals like yourself. Blogging makes a Journalist 'freelance' as it's the place you can say what you think, without fear of a gagging order! (Well, almost!)

Networking and building up your 'online' presence is the point of this blog, by linking your blog to your Facebook, Twitter and whatever other Social Media platform you use, you will attract followers. The more you write, post, tweet and capture through social media the more your presence will be noticed and the greater capacity you will have to succeed in the industry.

LEGAL Tips for NEW Journalists

One of the most concerning things for a NEW Journalist is being faced with legal action due to Libel or Defamation in some other way.

I have some top tips for you to avoid being caught out!

 Check your facts! 

This may seem like an obvious point, but it is vital. The information you share has to be TRUE. Everything you write has to be supported by evidence and you have to be able to back up what you say. Journalists have the right to report on public interest events and should do so accurately and fairly. But even if something is true and of public interest doesn't mean that you can report it without risk.

 Avoid Misrepresenting

A Journalists must not misrepresent a story and should avoid attacking the character of a person or company that is being reported . You should also be careful when referring to a person or business or group of people, even if a specific name isn't used. By not specifically identifying who you are talking about does not mean you can't still be caught out and what you say could be damaging to others that could be targeted by your story. This can be through innuendo, jigsaw identification, inaccurate identification or even juxtaposition.

Check your story!

 By this I mean literally check your story. Check your headlines, captions etc. Check the photos included in your story, not forgetting to check the ones that will appear alongside your story! Your defence in court will not stand up if you didn't realise you had mis-spelled a name, or you didn't mean to offend.

In Defence - Some things to know:

      The claimant has to prove that you have defamed them

• That you have identified them in your story (not necessarily by name)
• That it has caused or is likely to cause serious harm to their reputation. 
• The claimant does not have to prove intent! 

Legal Cases

When reporting on legal cases the rules are strict as to what is allowed to be shared with the public. The HumanRights Act, states that a person is Innocent until proven guilty and that a person has the right to a fair trial. If as a Journalist you print a story or write something that could potentially cause prejudice against a defendant or indeed the legal proceedings of a case, then you can be held in Contempt. 

It is important to remember that victims of sexual offences are given LIFELONG ANONYMITY so never disclose the name of a victim or even their family, since that could still identify the victim. 

These tips are of benefit not just to a new Journalist, but also to the general public, since so much information can be produced by the public, they too can be just as easily taken to court for Slander, Libel or Defamation in any way.

Driving Journalism the DATA way!

What is data Journalism? quite simply it is stories told using infographics. It is a way for Journalists to share complex information in a visually appealing way. In today's world Journalists are not always the first to report information, but what can set them apart is creating visually appealing infographics that explain the story. A good data Journalist can not only report on events but, using data can show what affect these events can have, thus making their story more appealing. This can give the Journalist or news organisation the 'edge' on competitors.
 

At the heart of data journalism is a good infographic, the story is only part of the picture. Many things still must be considered like with any story: What are the implications? how do I make it interesting and accessible to everyone? Television presenters are using info graphics in their news reports and this is becoming far more common. News that is easier to understand for the public is at the heart of this. The BBC have launched a daily infographic service on social media, whereby they aim to 'deliver a salient, interesting nugget on a big story'.

Data Journalism isn't just about graphs and pie charts, it is about creating visually appealing stories that SELL, INFORM and EMPOWER the public with knowledge. As with any source of information both the Journalist and the reader must be aware of how it can shape or restrict the stories that are created.Infographics are a tool of the trade and as such should be used alongside others tools to enhance your work.

I'm a Curator: That's CURATOR...not CREATOR! Although, you could say I am both!

To be a Journalist today you have to be adaptable. You have to try and be at the forefront of not only the news but of new media tools. You have to be a quick thinker, smart editor and a whizz with a computer! I have recently been using Storify an online curation tool used to help people 'make sense of what others post on social media' (Storify mission statement). The concept behind this new platform is that there are many voices on social media that should be heard on main stream media, thus Storify was created.

By searching for specific links to the story I was trying to curate, I was able to discover a broad range of opinions on the topic. I was able to discover videos that told elements of the story from one perspective and find tweets that told it from another. I pulled this information together creating an interesting story with lots of opinion, while adding in my own thoughts in between.

The problem with Storify though, is that its just linking information together from social media without any verification. You are trusting the sources you get your information from to build up a picture to the reader, while this is interesting it could be a dangerous tool for the legitimate journalist. The service itself could be useful but anyone can make a Storify story; without checking sources how does the audience know what information to really trust? Personally, I don't see the long term advantages of using it...but it is a fun tool to use and I created some interesting stories using it.

 A modern Journalist must be able to have tools at his disposal to give lots of information but should also be able to verify the legitimacy of the story. If we don't keep this side of journalism at its very core, then there will cease to be a need for 'professional journalists' because anyone can do the job!

There has never been a more exciting time...to be a JOURNALISM STUDENT!

It has been said that just because printed news is in decline, Journalism does not have to die along with it! Despite the evolving nature of the industry the core values that create a foundation for any Journalist are the same as they were half a century ago.

Ask the RIGHT questions, to the RIGHT people

 provide CONTEXT to the answers

DELIVER the responses in an INTERESTING and SUCCINCT manner

While the core foundation hasn't changed the method of delivery is vastly different. The tools that are available to a Journalist today mean that Journalism students must be equipped with far more ability than telling a good story and interviewing techniques (not that, that was all a Journalist needed before). Today a journalist must be able to engage with social media, to have a 'prescence' on the web. to be able to produce visually appealing infographics to 'tell the story' or help people to understand the story. They need to be proficient in multiple software platforms and understand many more.

The technology is changing as fast as we are discovering it and new Journalists must be able to adapt and evolve too. Embracing new technology as it appears will enable you to stay ahead of the game, to be more employable and give you the best future you can have.

The NEW newsroom must embrace all channels of digital media to stay ahead. Websites, Blogging, micro-blogging, Data Visuals, Print media, Phones & Tablets and many more. Steve Johnson, a Science Writer, said that "Ecosystem blogging, citizen journalism, Twittering and other Internet-age information sharing is taking root" while 'old paper news' is fading away. He stated that print news will become less prevalent, but while print media may slowly fade, Journalism is evolving and will continue to evolve.

It is a fantastic time to be a Journalism student at this technologically evolving time!

Live Blogging: In Principle, in Practise in Action!

Live blogging is a fantastic Journalism tool for making a running commentary of an event in motion. It is used for sporting events, conferences, news feeds or just about anything that is happening now and wants continuing coverage. For the audience or reader it is great for when you can't actually be at the event and want to know a play by play of what is going on.

The Guardian were early adopters of live blogging and have been live blogging minute by minute sporting events since 1999. In 2005 the Guardian used live blogging to report the 7/7 bombings in London. Today many of the major news organisations produce live blogging in some shape or form. There are many platforms available to do this, either through current blogs owned by the news organisations or through third party platforms such as, Twitter, Scribble Live, CoverItLive, Blyve and Liveblog Pro. These platforms enable Marketers, Media or Event managers to tailor their 'live blog' for a specific event. Additionaly plans wiill be made to advertise the live blog facility in advance of the event in order to attract an audience.

I attended a religions conference at the beginning of October this year and while I usually watch and make notes I had never before considered following any social media feeds during the event. This year I thought I would give it a try. I used two platforms to see what was being said during the weekend conference, Twitter, which was updated using #ldsconf hash tag by hundreds of different users and LDS Smile, a blog run by an individual who often posts inspiring and uplifting thoughts, both on their blog and Facebook and have over 56,000 followers! What I found interesting about following both these live feeds was first, how quickly LDS Smile were able to re-phrase what was being said on screen in 'easy to understand' language. Secondly, how people could actually have something to say, both negative and positive within about a minute of it being said at the conference (my brain doesn't work that fast!).

This was my first real experience of live blogging. So this got me thinking... my experience was from public live blogging and if they can achieve such excellent coverage with thousands of followers, what could the (Journalism) industry accomplish with their professional skills. In the realm of live blogging a Journalist must be quick thinking as they report minute by minute, they must be the editor, curator and Journalist; There is real power in this platform!

Social Media: My Journey, My Thoughts and the Future...

I have been using Facebook personally for many years and have a love-hate relationship with it. I find myself frustrated with the ridiculous things people share with the world. I despair at the one line comments that force people to ask "what's wrong?" 'Is everything ok Hun?" So, suddenly being faced with the task of using Twitter filled me with complete dread, thinking it would be just as bad as Facebook!

My reasons for using Twitter have been purely professional and while it has taken me some time to get it up and running, I am totally amazed at how it is being used in the Journalism industry. I had no idea that the 'world' of tweeting was quite so established.

Twitter is used by Journalists the world over to update, find and deliver stories. The instant delivery of news is what makes the future of Journalism at the heart of social media. In a recent article Mercedes Bunz from The Guardian wrote that "Most Journalists used Social Media as a source." The graph below shows how Journalists within the industry view the importance of Social Media.

The benefits of using platforms like Twitter, is that Journalists can engage with both the general public as well as professionals. This instantly equips the Journalist with many tools at their disposal. 

As a student of Journalism it has benefited me in my studies this semester. I have felt far more informed about current issues than I ever have been before. By following multiple news organisations and Journalists I have been able to get a broader coverage of current topics and as such have been able to develop my own opinion and understanding of the news coverage. This has enabled me to not be biased to any particular organisation or individual, it has also enabled me to Tweet, quote, write and link to many articles of relevance while adding my own reasoned analysis.

I have been able to see the limitations of engaging on Social Media. That as a journalist it is vital to still rely on primary sources and check your facts before you 'retweet' something that could damage your reputation. I think as long as it's used appropriately it is extremely useful in the world of Journalism.

I think it's impossible to predict the future of Social Media and Journalism since everything changes so quickly, but having a direct link to the public and professionals in such an instantaneous way suggests that the future is going to be a partnership between the two across a wide range of industries, not least of which will be Journalism.