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Live blogging is an innovative storytelling technique that allows journalists to cover events as they unfold, providing real-time updates and engaging readers interactively. This tool is effective for various scenarios, including trials, sports events, public meetings, and natural disasters. The benefits are clear: it fosters immediacy, drives traffic, and enhances community engagement. To succeed, journalists must prepare thoroughly, write clearly, and verify information while maintaining reader interest. Discover best practices and common pitfalls to navigate the fast-paced world of live blogging effectively.
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Reporting events in real time Live blogging/Tweeting
Liveblogging: What is it? • In-the-moment storytelling tool that allows journalists to cover events as they happen • A way to tell stories in an interactive way • An opportunity to provide frequent updates on a quickly changing story
Liveblogging: Advantages • Immediacy • Traffic • Community engagement • Interactivity
Liveblogging: What’s it good for? • Trials • Sporting events • Public meetings • Conferences/Speeches • Protests, festivals, community events • Awards presentations • Unusual weather – heat wave, cold spell, storm • Disasters – earthquakes, fires, industrial accidents
Liveblogging: Examples President Obama’s 2009 Address to Congress The New York Times New York City Marathon, 2011 The New York Times Hurricane Irene CNN
Liveblogging: Formats • Reverse chronology in a blogging platform like WordPress • Live blogging plug-in for WordPress • CoveritLive (free for light users) • Scribblelive (pay service) • Twitter
Liveblogging: Tips • Do your homework – be knowledgeable about the event you’re covering • Know the schedule – start time, possible interruptions, course of events, end time • Prepare equipment – make sure phone, camera, laptop are fully charged; find electrical outlets; check Internet access • Prewrite whatever you can – introductory and background information • Find links you may want to use ahead of time
Liveblogging: Tips • Tell readers who you are and where you are • Write in short bursts of information • Write in clear, easy-to-understand sentences • Try to engage readers by asking questions, using instant polls • Link to related information (documents, news stories, videos, maps, etc.) • Provide useful information (road closures, how to get help, shelter locations)
Liveblogging: Tips • Consider your tone carefully • Think about your audience and what it wants/needs to know • Verify sources and facts • Present opposing views • Make it a conversation, not a monologue
Liveblogging: Tips • If possible, involve other people – other journalists, including photographers and reporters in other locations, expert sources • Promote liveblog with Twitter and other social media tools
Liveblogging: Livechatting • Invite guests to participate • Give (some) questions to guests in advance • Ask questions to audience members • Try to provoke discussion
Liveblogging: Pitfalls • Accuracy – easy to make factual errors • Easy to spread misinformation • Rough copy • Equipment – hard to write on mobile devices, laptops can be bulky, tablets with keyboards are most efficient • Hard to multitask