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Online reporting

Online reporting. A few points. Reporting principles we’ve discussed are the same online as they are in print or broadcast. Web allows for more depth and dimension to reporting. 3-D as opposed to 2-D. Web is the dominant information medium for people under 30. A few points, cont.

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Online reporting

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  1. Online reporting

  2. A few points • Reporting principles we’ve discussed are the same online as they are in print or broadcast. • Web allows for more depth and dimension to reporting. 3-D as opposed to 2-D. • Web is the dominant information medium for people under 30.

  3. A few points, cont. • Newspaper circulation, from April through September:- Daily -5 percent 2010- Daily -10.6 percent 2009- Sunday -4.5 percent 2010- Sunday -7.5 percent 2009 • Are all declines bad?

  4. Reporting online • Newsgathering principles remain the same, but how that information is presented is evolving. • You have a chance to get involved in the relative infancy of the medium. • Readers expect interactivity – comments on stories, short videos, Web chats with reporters or newsmakers, email exchanges.

  5. 24-hour newsroom • Readers expect the news to be reported when it happens, not when it’s convenient. • Detroit Free Press – story online within 15 minutes of it breaking. • More eyeballs a Web site draws = more money from advertisers. • Therefore, more visits means more profits. Frequent updates draw repeat views. Multiple pages for one story.

  6. How to best report online • Decisions, decisions – how should the story be presented. Written words or video? Both? • Instead of a lengthy story, more short reports focusing on a single aspect of the larger story. • Graphics, photos, charts, links to provide depth. Or to tell the story?

  7. The importance of good leads • Emphasized even more online. The lead is typically what you see in a Web search or in a news aggregator site. • Readers and viewers move on if something doesn’t grab them quickly. • You have 10 seconds …

  8. Online readers • Scan. If something grabs their interest quickly, they may explore further. If not, they move on. • They are busy. Get to the point in your reporting. • They are looking for compelling information.

  9. Think verbally and visually • Use words and images to relay the story. • While you are gathering the information for your story, think about how to best present it. Words and images. • Think dimensionally. If readers want to know more, provide a way for them to find more.

  10. Link please! • Depending on the topic of your story, use links. For example, in a story on Mt. Pleasant government, link to the city Web site. • Link to previous stories on a subject on your Web site. • Another way of giving reader choice. Adds depth and dimension to your story.

  11. Shorter stories • Began more than 25 years ago with USA Today. • People are busier than ever now. • Reading on screen can be hard on the eyes. • There’s a lot out there to check out.

  12. Lists and bullets • Reading is a VISUAL experience. • Long paragraphs of statistics, words and numbers, can be tough to work through. • Instead, use a list and bullets. It’s not as visually dense and much easier to use. • If applicable, avoid the list and create a graphic representation.

  13. Transparency • The speed that online reporting allows can also lead to errors. • If you make an error, correct that and note that you’ve corrected an error in a previous report. • Simply scrubbing the error may seem preferable, but acting like in never happened can lead to reader skepticism.

  14. Money, money, money • Traditional media outlets have struggled to make money on the Web at the same level they have in their other products. • Audience is diffuse. Print publication delivers a focused audience in a specific area, which makes it easier for advertisers to target customers.

  15. Who’s making money? • Google – made $22 billion in 2009, $21 billon from advertising. • Yahoo Sports and ESPN. Draw millions of eyeballs each month. ESPN has launched regional Web sites with dedicated reporters. • Wall Street Journal has charged for online content since Day 1. • NY Times has launched new pay wall effort.

  16. Blogs • Many popular blogs don’t actually do any reporting. They are set up to provide commentary on reporting. • Blogs are mainly a hobby for many, although some have evolved into actual journalistic organizations …

  17. Blog to news organizations • Talking Points Memo • Gawker • Pro Football Talk • The Big Lead • Huffington Post • What qualities do these sites have?

  18. Where are we going? • Just a few years ago, there was no YouTube, no Facebook, no Twitter. • With each new opportunity, reporters should consider if this will help reach their audience. • If so, embrace and use. • Web-based media is evolving. What we accept as fact now may not be as true in a few years.

  19. Report for your audience • Remember, reporters are surrogates for their audience. • Deliver compelling reporting in ways that engages them and keeps them coming back for more. • If you find techniques that connect with your audience, keep using them. Online media provides us an opportunity to try new ways of delivering information.

  20. Questions?

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