Four reasons why an open-source newsroom is harder than it looks: Lessons from Al Jazeera. Editor’s Note: Nikki Usher and Seth C.
Lewis are academic researchers studying the intersection of journalists and technologists, or “hacks and hackers.” The latest part of their work included Usher’s two-week visit to Doha, Qatar, in June to study how this phenomenon is playing out at Al Jazeera English. DOHA, Qatar — Open-source software might at first seem easy for a news organization to get behind: It’s owned by no one, improved by everyone, and costs nothing to acquire.
At Al Jazeera, the network’s top voices have advocated open-source for years. Al Jazeera English was an early partner of the Knight-Mozilla News Technology Partnership, now OpenNews. But after visiting the AJE newsroom this summer, it became apparent the much-heralded open-source movement was a lot more complicated, despite Al Jazeera’s advances. 1. As Moeed Ahmad, head of new media for the network, explained to me, open-source is often equated with “hackable” — and not in the good way. 2. 3. 4. How Should Journalists Use Social Media? @NickKristof's Fans' Advice (with tweets) · lheron. How Journalists Are Using Google+ Google's still-young social network is largely the territory of early adopters and tech enthusiasts, but that hasn't stopped journalists from experimenting with it.
(Part 3 in a 4-part series on how journalists are using social networks beyond Facebook and Twitter.) Google+ makes a convenient distribution channel for content, much like Facebook and Twitter. But as any social media guru will tell you, these platforms are not just about barfing out a series of self-promotional links (which followers tend to tolerate in limited doses).
Engaging people is half the battle, and Google+ offers a few ways to do it. See also: How Journalists Are Using Pinterest and How Journalists Are Using Instagram Once Google+ launched, media outlets were quick to start playing around with Hangouts. Google+ Hangouts' could hardly have come at a better time for the team behind Al Jazeera's The Stream. How Journalists Are Using SoundCloud. Musicians and remixers were among the first to settle into SoundCloud, but the social audio-sharing service has been expanding in new directions.
The company is sharpening its focus on providing a hub for radio-style journalism and commentary with an interactive twist. (Part 4 of a 4-part series on how journalists are using social networks beyond Facebook and Twitter.) The initial wave of SoundCloud users from the radio world included CNN Radio, Boston's WBUR and KCRW in Los Angeles. Since then, the company has been cultivating the on-air community in earnest. This summer, SoundCloud nabbed Jim Colgan from public radio station WNYC to help sharpen its new focus on bringing traditional radio content to the browser. See also: How Journalists Are Using Google+ "The range of usage by journalists is quite broad," SoundCloud Head of Audio Manolo Espinosa told ReadWriteWeb. No social journalism tool would be complete without the ability to crowdsource reporting.
How Journalists Are Using Pinterest. Pinterest is quickly finding its way into the social strategies of media organizations large and small, even as the company itself is still figuring out its business model.
Here's how they're using the virtual scrapbooking service. (Part 2 of a 4-part series on how journalists are using social networks beyond Facebook and Twitter.) For a publisher, Pinterest's chief advantages are twofold. First, it engages readers in a new context, one that is uniquely visual. It also turns out to have big potential in the traffic-driving department. See also: How Journalists Are Using Instagram Like more established social networks, Pinterest is used to share links to articles, photos, and other content. Pinterest has been flooded with recipes and other food-related images. Contrary to its early reputation, Pinterest is about much more than dessert porn and wedding plans.
Al Jazeera eschews such broad strokes in favor of granular, topic-specific boards. Facebook & Social Journalism by Vadim Lavrusik on Prezi. The new politics of the internet: Everything is connected. The Waves and Tides of Online Protests. Things I like - An Online Advocacy Code of Ethics.