The BBC's best practices for verifying user-generated content

The BBC's best practices for verifying user-generated content

Social media have set the stage for newsrooms to tap into user-generated content for their breaking news coverage. But the easier it becomes to gather content from users, the harder it can be to verify, especially on deadline.

The BBC's UGC Hub has been sourcing, checking and verifying, and distributing content since its inception in 2005, and has had to shift its approach over the years. Some of the latest BBC stories to include UGC content were Typhoon Haiyan, Nelson Mandela's death and the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

http://ijnet.org/blog/bbcs-best-practices-verifying-user-generated-content

Can a journalist also be an activist?

Can a journalist also be an activist?

Can a journalist also be an activist? When Halifax Media Co-op journalist Miles Howe was arrested Nov. 26 for the third time by New Brunswick RCMP, many questioned if he was indeed a journalist. Howe was reporting about SWN Resources' exploration for natural gas near the small community of Rexton and the Elsipogtog First Nation, which claims the land.

http://j-source.ca/article/can-journalist-also-be-activist

Top 10 Investigative Journalism Books of 2013

Top 10 Investigative Journalism Books of 2013

Contrary to the conventional wisdom, investigative reporting is plentiful within American journalism. That is especially true in the realm of books, despite the much decried conglomeratization of publishers.

Following the economic meltdown of 2008, a pile of financial whodunits was published examining various aspects of the collapse. There's no such readily identifiable trend this year so let me simply present my list of the top 10 investigative journalism books of 2013.

http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/103039/Top-10-Investigative-Journalism-Books-of-2013.aspx

4 Do-It-Yourself Digital Distribution Platforms

When you don't want to work with a traditional distributor -- or when they don't want to work with you -- digital self-distribution is an option for sharing your finished film with the world.

Expect each of the DIY services below to take a cut of your streaming or download revenue, but the math isn't always simple, so we asked each company direct questions about their business and why a documentary filmmaker would want to use their service over all the others.

http://www.pbs.org/pov/filmmakers/diy-digital-distribution-platforms.php#.Uq60KrsgHCQ

Citizen journalists animate a virtual high street for independent living support and conversation

Citizen journalists animate a virtual high street for independent living support and conversation

Access Dorset TV (ADTV) is developing a virtual high street where a team of citizen journalists will help disabled people, older people and carers share opinions share opinions and experiences, provide each other with support, and also review products and services.

http://socialreporter.com/?p=2781

Relief Volunteers Share Stories from Typhoon-Hit Philippines

Relief Volunteers Share Stories from Typhoon-Hit Philippines

Almost a month has passed since super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit the central part of the Philippines. Many towns were completely devastated by the storm surge which killed more than 5,000thousand and left millions homeless.

Typhoon survivors initially complained about the slow arrival of food, water, medicine and other urgent aid. Remote towns couldn't be reached because of bad roads and other logistical problems. Responding to criticism, the national government assured the public that it is doing everything to extend assistance to all disaster victims.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/12/06/relief-volunteers-share-stories-from-typhoon-hit-philippines/

Do journalists need Photoshop skills?

Do journalists need Photoshop skills?

A couple of weeks ago I was sat at my desk trying to produce a front cover for a magazine that I'm making for my final year degree project. The first thing I wanted to do was source an image for the cover, and subsequently get rid of its background so that the person was merely a figure in the middle of the page. I soon realised that this wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be, and after an hour or so playing around with the 'Instant Alpha' tool on my MacBook, I wanted to know if there was a quicker way – and one that didn't require forking out for the latest version of Adobe Photoshop with money I just don't have.

http://wannabehacks.co.uk/2013/12/06/do-journalists-need-photoshop-skills/

Four ways crowdfunding for news is going to change journalism

Four ways crowdfunding for news is going to change journalism

Democratizing patronage for the news isn't simply about rejigging the Kickstarter model for journalism.

It's about looking at the nature of the business models for news that have worked in the past, and figuring out how to use technology to transfer the power and effect of the business model and value exchange implicit in patronage for news from the few to the many. This is what happened when the Internet transformed media by democratizing publishing and advertising, taking the ability to broadcast a message or story to as many people as would listen from the hands of a very few with printing presses and making it something that anyone could do, and be paid back for doing.

http://muckrack.com/daily/2013/12/05/four-ways-crowdfunding-for-news-is-going-to-change-journalism/

5 Reasons Vice And BuzzFeed Are The New Face Of Journalism

5 Reasons Vice And BuzzFeed Are The New Face Of Journalism

There's still a misapprehension that young people aren't interested in news. That's not true; they're just not interested in the way it's been told over the past decade. Bar a few exceptions, newspapers were broadly slow to adapt to digital - relying too much on sustaining loyalty from their existing readerships, rather than targeting the tech-savvy generation that succeeds it.

"There's a lot of nonsense talked about young people not being interested in news," says Vice's UK MD Matt O'Mara, talking at the CMA summit in London. "They are."

http://digitalmedia.strategyeye.com/article/GztcKyCkPM/2013/12/05/insight_vice_buzzfeed_and_the_phoenix_of_new_media/

10 social media lessons from Swedish Radio

10 social media lessons from Swedish Radio

Public service broadcaster Swedish Radio (Sverige Radio) has a range of local and national stations serving particular age and language groups, which reach 5 million people every day, or 7 million every week, according to senior staff at the organisation. In a country of 9.5 million, more than half of the population listen to radio daily.

Three years ago Swedish Radio made a significant shift, focusing on social media to build the brand and encourage listening.

During a recent visit to Sweden, Journalism.co.uk discussed social strategy with three key people at Swedish Radio, which has a staff of nearly 2,000 and 40 radio stations.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/10-social-media-lessons-from-swedish-radio/s2/a555306/

Top apps for journalists shooting video on mobile

Top apps for journalists shooting video on mobile

Whether reporting breaking news, conducting interviews in remote locations or going undercover, shooting video on a mobile device is an increasingly important skill for today's digital journalist. Mobile devices are convenient and portable, and they often produce surprisingly high-quality video.

For Nepalese multimedia journalist Rajneesh Bhandari, mobile means the ability to shoot and produce quick, cheap videos when compared to those shot with full-frame high definition cameras. He uses an iPad and iPhone.

http://ijnet.org/stories/top-apps-journalists-shooting-video-mobile

Filmmaker's Journey: A Conversation with Dimi Nakov

Filmmaker's Journey: A Conversation with Dimi Nakov

Filmmaking is a dream career and a difficult journey. I recently interviewed New Zealand's Dimi Nakov, a filmmaker, to find out about his journey in film, and where it has taken him this far.

1) Dimi, your love of film began when you first received a stills camera at a young age, do you feel that filmmakers today don't understand the value of film as much as they should? Thank you Ric. It would be impossible for me to put everyone in the same box and speak for everyone else's values when it come to this amazing craft.For me making movies is a way of life, not a job, It's who i am. I still remember it like it was yesterday how happy I was when my grandfather gave me a small manual stills camera. It was s Zenith, black and white, 24 frames of film. My grandfather was a teacher and as well as teaching mathematics, physics and chemistry he also ran photography workshops, which I attended. I remember how fascinating it was to develop photos on my own and see how the white paper transformed to the still I had taken a week earlier. It was like magic for me back then. This experience stayed with me and it's the core of my passion.

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1064803/

Afghanistan: filmmaker's experience embedding with soldiers in 'living hell'

Afghanistan: filmmaker's experience embedding with soldiers in 'living hell'

Anthropologist and filmmaker Chris Terrill, the only civilian to have won a Royal Marines green beret, was on the front line in Afghanistan at the same time as the Marine A incident took place.

Not only that, he was embedded with the marines at the same place as it occurred – a remote patrol base deep in the Helmand valleys and set in what was described at the time as "the most dangerous square mile in the world".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/10483702/Afghanistan-filmmakers-experience-embedding-with-soldiers-in-living-hell.html

Writing for the web

Writing for the web

When writing for the web, tell the story upfront. For it to work across all possible platforms and devices, it needs to be told in essence in the first four paragraphs, around 70 words:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/skills/writing/article/art20130702112133610

What mobile journalists should have on their holiday shopping lists

What mobile journalists should have on their holiday shopping lists

Here are a few ideas for the mobile journalist's holiday wish list as news production increasingly relies less on expensive, high-end cameras and laptops.

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/media-lab/mobile-media/231559/what-mobile-journalists-should-have-on-their-holiday-shopping-lists/

Digital SLR Video and Filmmaking For Dummies

Digital SLR Video and Filmmaking For Dummies

Step-by-step guide for using your digital SLR to make quality video

With digital SLR cameras becoming more and more popular as replacements for standalone video cameras, this book helps photographers become better videographers and shows videographers how to incorporate DSLRs into their work. The book includes an overview of the DSLR video tools and process and shows how to establish camera settings for effective capture, light a scene, get sound, and achieve the film look. The book also offers the basics on editing footage into a final product using common video editing tools.

http://www.wowebook.com/book/digital-slr-video-filmmaking-dummies/

Know your rights: Journalists don't need permission to live-tweet from council meetings

Know your rights: Journalists don't need permission to live-tweet from council meetings

A reporter's experience covering a parish council meeting earlier this month exposed an apparent gap in government guidelines on live blogging.

Stuart Littleford, editor of the Saddleworth News, asked for permission to do live tweets from a special meeting of Saddleworth Parish Council, called to discuss controversial plans for a new school.

The chair, councillor Graham Sheldon, agreed. But he called for a vote after another councillor objected, claiming that Littleford should have given the council one week's notice about his plans to tweet.

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/content/know-your-rights-journalists-dont-need-permission-live-tweet-council-meetings

iVision for Android

iVision for Android

I-vision is the official VISION GROUP Citizen Journalism App for Local and International audiences.

People can submit breaking news, business, politics, entertainment, technology, travel & tourism, photo gallery, cuisine, gadgets, and sports.

This free app lets you submit articles, photos, audios and videos of breaking news stories and any interesting news around you.

http://www.appszoom.com/android_applications/multimedia/ivision_ilbpq.html

Twitter: 5 Dangers For Journalists

Twitter: 5 Dangers For Journalists

Twitter: a dangerous place for journalists?

Twitter is a good example of a social media network tool that can make journalism much more efficient and also more open. It improves journalists' connective potential, both to gather news, opinion and attention but also to disseminate their own content and improve the profile of their brand. But like any new technology or media innovation, it has dangers as well as delights.

I usually write a lot about the opportunities of networked journalism, but here are some of the possible negatives when using twitter.

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2013/11/27/twitter-5-dangers-for-journalists/

5 Tips For Reporters Entering The Digital Journalism World

5 Tips For Reporters Entering The Digital Journalism World

Sharing quality content with their audience, engaging with readers below the line and building their brand, these are just some of the tips for new journalists shared at a journalism event today.

Speaking at the NCTJ's Journalism Skills Conference at Bournemouth University, a panel were asked to give advice to journalists, particularly those entering the field.

The panel featured Peter Bale, vice president and general manager of CNN International Digital; Pete Clifton, executive producer for MSN UK; and Liisa Rohumaa, a journalism lecturer at Bournemouth University.1. Build your own brandJournalists were encouraged to work on building a brand, rather than just being an entity of the news outlet they work for.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/5-tips-for-new-journalists-in-digital-journalism-world/s2/a555239/

UN General Assembly adopts resolution on journalists safety

UN General Assembly adopts resolution on journalists safety

Reporters Without Borders hails the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of its first resolution on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity and on the creation of an International Day to End Impunity for crimes against journalists on November 2.

Adopted today by consensus by the Third Committee, this resolution meets calls that Reporters Without Borders has been making for years, in particular, in connection with the United Nations Plan of Action, and which it reaffirmed after the recent tragic death of two French journalists in Mali.

http://en.rsf.org/un-general-assembly-adopts-26-11-2013,45512.html

4 Examples Of Innovative Online Newsgathering

4 Examples Of Innovative Online Newsgathering

You may be accustomed to using RSS feeds, Twitter, Google Alerts and other tools for newsgathering. Here are four reporting techniques you may not have thought of.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/4-examples-of-innovative-newsgathering/s2/a555202/

How the Urban Poor Tell Their Story

How the Urban Poor Tell Their Story

The urban poor are often stereotyped, viewed merely as a problem to be solved -- or ignored. Initiatives across the Global South are thus exploring ways of telling the story of poverty in an inclusive and realistic way, with examples that include a monthly newspaper for sex workers in Mumbai, graffiti art in Cairo and a manifesto for the poor in Dhaka. Read on to see more transformative narrative approaches from Cairo, Dhaka, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, Jakarta, and Mexico City -- then join the conversation on URB.im.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josephine-dallant/newspapers-for-sex-worker_b_4326285.html

Innovators enlist citizen journalists to combat India’s rape crisis

Innovators enlist citizen journalists to combat India's rape crisis

Almost a year has passed since the Delhi gang rape turned the world's attention to the treatment of women in India.

The Dec. 16 rape and subsequent death of the 23-year-old physiotherapy student was covered widely by international news outlets and spread quickly over social media, mobilizing Indians to take to the streets in protest. In response, the government swiftly convicted the rapists and passed an anti-rape bill that imposes harsher punishments on sexual offenders—a set of efficient, rapid-fire actions that may have been influenced by the degree of attention the case received.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/india-rape-crisis-citizen-journalism

Work the problem: Survival tips and resources for the narrative video journalist

Work the problem: Survival tips and resources for the narrative video journalist

Editor's note: Our Work the Problem series has covered story regret, with Esquire's Tom Junod; self-editing, with Pulitzer winner Amy Ellis Nutt; and prospecting for narrative, withStorycraft author Jack Hart. Today's question:"What survival tips can you offer a reporter who is in charge of capturing a narrative in video, print and photography? Some days I fall into at least one medium." Today's guru isNew York Times video journalist Sean Patrick Farrell, who writes Viewfinder, an occasionalStoryboard column on video journalism:

http://www.niemanstoryboard.org/2013/11/21/work-the-problem-survival-tips-and-resources-for-the-narrative-video-journalist/

Podcast: Telling your own story – personal branding advice for journalists

Podcast: Telling your own story – personal branding advice for journalists

For many journalists, and freelancers in particular, creating a personal brand can help you stand out from the crowd. Achieving this is not always easy or straightforward so, as well as gathering these five tips for personal branding, we went into detail on the subject with some experienced and successful journalists.

http://blogs.journalism.co.uk/2013/11/22/podcast-telling-your-own-story-personal-branding-advice-for-journalists/

In Syria, 30 journalists are missing

In Syria, 30 journalists are missing

Thirty journalists — half of them foreign reporters, half of them Syrian — have been kidnapped or gone missing in Syria, theAssociated Press reported this week. The number is unprecedented. Syria today is the scene of the single largest wave of kidnappings in modern journalism, more than in Iraq during the 2000s or Lebanon during the 1980s.  A combination of criminality, jihadism and chaos is bringing on-the-ground coverage of the war to a halt.

http://blogs.reuters.com/david-rohde/2013/11/15/an-epidemic-of-journalist-kidnapping/

7 Golden Photojournalism Rules by a Reuters Chief Photographer

7 Golden Photojournalism Rules by a Reuters Chief Photographer

What are the key tips to shooting great news photography? This video by award-winning Reuters photographer Damir Sagolj, an experienced Asia hand, shares his seven ideas on how to shoot news photos that engage audiences and tell a great story.

http://www.the.me/7-golden-photojournalism-tips-by-a-reuters-chief-photographer/

Exposing the Invisible: Video Profiles of Info-Activists

Exposing the Invisible: Video Profiles of Info-Activists

A new multimedia project called Exposing the Invisible tells the stories of activists, hackers and journalists who work "at the new frontiers of investigation." Through short films and text, the digital project by Tactical Technology Collective explores the missions of these experts and the tools they use to carry out their exposés.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/11/21/exposing-the-invisible-video-profiles-of-info-activists/

Mastering Social Media with Jon Bernstein

Mastering Social Media with Jon Bernstein

In the fast-paced evolution of digital journalism, it is essential to get to grips with the social media landscape around you. Pioneering website editor Jon Bernstein will lead a day-long workshop to teach you how to get the most out of your online tools.

From understanding the basics of social media and their applications in journalism, to the fine art of online editing, this workshop is ideal for established and emerging journalists alike. It will also appeal to anyone in a communications role who truly wants to understand the power of social media.

http://ejc.net/events/article/storytelling-for-the-edit

Media workers ‘targeted’ in Syria’s north

Media workers 'targeted' in Syria's north

Syrian government troops are targeting media centres and news providers, Reporters Without Borders has warned after the killing of a citizen journalist and the destruction of premises belonging to two media centres within a week.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/11/media-workers-targeted-syrias-north-20131120191637735923.html

Rethinking the Value of the Short Film: an Open Letter to Vimeo by Robin Schmidt

Rethinking the Value of the Short Film: an Open Letter to Vimeo by Robin Schmidt

"Do short films have monetary value?" Filmmaker Robin Schmidt, who after many short films and music videos recently completed his first feature film, digs in and offers some intriguing observations in the guest post below, as well as his idea for a solution with the help of Vimeo. After reading the post, we'd also like to know what you think. Do short films have monetary value? If so, what solutions can you come up with that will allow filmmakers to monetize their shorts?

http://nofilmschool.com/2013/11/value-short-film-vimeo-robin-schmidt/

London Feminist Film Festival: 24-30 November in Hackney

London Feminist Film Festival: 24-30 November in Hackney

The festival has been extended to a whole week this year and over the seven days you can enjoy 10 feature length films and 21 short films from 18 different countries, including seven UK premieres.

An integral part of the festival will be the post-film panel discussions. These will give filmmakers and audiences a chance to discuss the films, the feminist issues raised by the films, and wider issues of women's representation behind and in front of the camera. Panellists will include directors of the films we are showing, academics, critics and women's rights activists.

http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2013/11/london_feminist_film_festival_2013

Considering Ethics for Anyone Who Commits Acts of Journalism

Considering Ethics for Anyone Who Commits Acts of Journalism

Right now there are three major efforts under way to rethink journalism ethics for our changed media landscape. The Online News Association and the Society for Professional Journalists have both launched ethics discussions with their members, and the Poynter Institute recently published a majorbook on "The New Ethics of Journalism."

Poynter is using the occasion of the book to jump-start a broader conversation about truth and trust in the 21st century, the first event of which happened this week in New York City. Sponsored by PBS MediaShift, craigconnects, the Ford Foundation, American University's School of Communication andNewsCred, the event featured a panel of journalists and academics from the New York Times, BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, NYU, AP, and the Seattle Times. There were some great discussions on sponsored content, the nature of truth versus facts, and the intersection of reporting, opinion and activism. But I won't get into those here. Instead, I want to talk about the one theme that seemed to undergird the entire evening: journalism's relationship with its community.

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/11/considering-ethics-for-anyone-who-commits-acts-of-journalism/

The rise of Brown Moses: How an unemployed British man became a poster boy for citizen journalism

The rise of Brown Moses: How an unemployed British man became a poster boy for citizen journalism

We've written many times about how social media and what Om likes to call the "democratization of distribution" have changed the way that journalism works in a digital age, and how various media players — from The Guardian to NPR's Andy Carvin — have made the practice of "open journalism" one of their guiding principles. But there is probably no better example of this new form of journalism at work than Brown Moses, an otherwise unremarkable British man who has become the go-to source for information about weapons in Syria.

http://gigaom.com/2013/11/19/the-rise-of-brown-moses-how-an-unemployed-british-man-became-a-poster-boy-for-citizen-journalism/

Citizen journalism today

Citizen journalism today

After writing about citizen journalism for 5 full years, from the time when almost no one knew the term – citizen journalism, till now – when it's inevitable part of the media, we can definitely say that it was an interesting journey.

We had great pleasure of doing 33 email interviews with people who are related to citizen journalism through their work – new projects, websites, programs, applications, webinars, books, training … List is really impressive and long.

http://www.newsmeback.com/blog/personal-opinion/citizen-journalism-today/

On show this week: the future of mobile filmmaking

On show this week: the future of mobile filmmaking

The future is mobile, and mobile is the cornerstone for a series of events at AUT this week exploring mobile technologies in film, education, business and creativity.

Films from all across the globe will be displayed at the third International Mobile Innovation Screenings this week, showing the amazing filmmaking that can be done just off a smartphone.

http://www.idealog.co.nz/blog/2013/11/show-week-future-mobile-filmmaking

Can citizen journalism end the silence on Direct Action? Errol Brandt @e2mq173 reports

Can citizen journalism end the silence on Direct Action? Errol Brandt @e2mq173 reports

For a political party with a belief in the power of the market, the Coalition's climate change policy is a thoroughly disappointing piece of work. Direct Action does not address the source of our carbon emissions and may be based on incomplete scientific research.

Not that Australians would know this, given the lack of scrutiny from mainstream media.

http://nofibs.com.au/2013/11/18/can-citizen-journalism-end-silence-direct-action-errol-brandt-e2mq173-reports/

Syria's Silent, Chilling Epidemic of Journalist Kidnappings

Syria's Silent, Chilling Epidemic of Journalist Kidnappings

Thirty journalists—half of them foreign reporters, half of them Syrian—have been kidnapped or gone missing in Syria, theAssociated Press reported this week. The number is unprecedented. Syria today is the scene of the single largest wave of kidnappings in modern journalism, more than in Iraq during the 2000s or Lebanon during the 1980s. A combination of criminality, jihadism and chaos is bringing on-the-ground coverage of the war to a halt.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/syrias-silent-chilling-epidemic-of-journalist-kidnappings/281574/

Tip: Watch WSJ video on impact of mobile on journalism

Tip: Watch WSJ video on impact of mobile on journalism

For those trying to get to grips with how best to reach mobile audiences with their content,this short video from the Wall Street Journal (embedded below) is well worth a watch, not only to soak up some of the advice of those within digital-native outlets such as BuzzFeed, Mashable and Circa (and those with more traditional roots, like the WSJ), but also as a useful reminder about the different ways digital content is discovered, and the resulting demand for new approaches.

http://blogs.journalism.co.uk/2013/11/13/tip-watch-wsj-video-on-impact-of-mobile-on-journalism/

Create Your Own Virtual Newspaper with the App Follow My News

Create Your Own Virtual Newspaper with the App Follow My News

Follow My News is a social networking and news application where the news is generated by you. Create your own news posts, add your own photos, the possibilities are all yours. Enjoy the ability to create and follow your own newsstand of different newspapers created by people all over the world. With Follow My News make your news completely yours and completely social.

http://appdictions.com/create-virtual-newspaper-app-follow-news/

Get Your Kit On: Some Low Budget Options for Filmmakers

Get Your Kit On: Some Low Budget Options for Filmmakers

Earlier this year I set out on a rather mad adventure to make a feature documentary about an audacious and provocative protest against the world's flagrant attempts to sexualise and commodify childhood. The film follows award-winning performance artist Bryony Kimmings and her 9-year-old niece Taylor, who decided to take on the global tween machine at its own game by inventingCatherine Bennett, a dinosaur-loving, bike-riding, tuna-pasta-eating pop star (yes, really). They vowed to make her world famous to prove that an alternative was possible, and I vowed to document their journey.

https://shootingpeople.org/blog/2013/11/get-your-kit-on-some-low-budget-options-for-filmmakers/

14 Inspiring 1-Minute Films About the Environment

14 Inspiring 1-Minute Films About the Environment

TVE (Television for the Environment) presents the videos of 14 finalists in its global environmental film competition.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/11/12/14-inspiring-1-minute-films-about-the-environment/

So Twitter is ruining journalism? Really?

So Twitter is ruining journalism? Really?

There is no quicker way for old institutions to look irrelevant than to insist on their relevance. Today the Australian did just that by publishing an editorial not only bragging about its superiority, but underlining the "path to ruin" that is (other) journalists using Twitter.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/13/so-twitter-is-ruining-journalism-really

Making a Documentary

Making a Documentary

When it comes to making a documentary, many filmmakers have similar questions. And when it comes to getting answers to those questions, very few people are more qualified than Faith Fuller. She is a seasoned documentary producer and she stopped by filmmaking stuff to answer some frequent documentary questions.

http://www.filmmakingstuff.com/making-documentary/

Regional Bloggers Targeted for “Extremism” by Russian Police

Regional Bloggers Targeted for "Extremism" by Russian Police

Exploding logo of the United Russia party. A still from the video that got a Siberian blogger in trouble with the law. YouTube screenshot.

Regional authorities in Russia are cracking down on local opposition bloggers, persecuting them for alleged "extremism." On November 6, 2013 Andrey Teslenko, a blogger from the Siberian town of Novoaltaisk,announced on his LiveJournal blog [ru] that he was approached by police who questioned him about a video called "Let's remind the crooks and thieves about their 2002-Manifesto," which appears on his page [ru] on the social network VKontakte.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/11/10/regional-bloggers-targeted-for-extremism-by-russian-police/

Designing a mobile-first newsroom

Designing a mobile-first newsroom

The Multimedia Education Center is a mobile-first newsroom designed for mobile-first journalism. Everything within the lab is mobile, with walls on wheels and furniture that can be easily moved.

Too often newsrooms consist of "wooden desks with a computer, mouse and keyboard, and a printer in the corner," Robb Montgomery, a journalist who worked on developing the lab, told Journalism.co.uk.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/designing-a-mobile-first-newsroom/s2/a554706/

Why journalists must use social media to promote their work

Why journalists must use social media to promote their work

A young acquaintance was applying for an online reporting job at an internationally renowned news organization.

But the interviewer did not focus on the job candidate's articles. He wanted to know more about the metrics of audience engagement with the candidate's stories -- time spent, social sharing, search traffic.

http://ijnet.org/blog/why-journalists-must-use-social-media-promote-their-work

How the Syrian War Subreddit Scoops Mainstream Media

How the Syrian War Subreddit Scoops Mainstream Media

On the afternoon of October 31, U.S. newspapers began reporting evidence of an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah-bound missiles in Syria that occurred the night before. It was a big story—indicating that Israel was continuing to flout international law to prevent Hezbollah from getting weapons.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/07/how-the-syrian-war-subreddit-scoops-mainstream-media.html

Study: 96% of UK journalists use social media each day

Study: 96% of UK journalists use social media each day

Almost all of the UK journalists who responded to a study into social media and journalism have said they use such platforms every day.

The related report, published today, states that out of the 589 journalists from the UK who took part in its worldwide 2013 Social Journalism Study – carried out by Cision and Canterbury Christ Church University – 96 per cent interact on social media "on a daily basis", and 92 per cent do so on Twitter in particular.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/study-96-of-uk-journalists-use-social-media-each-day/s2/a554687/

Three young journalists shortlisted for the UK Foreign Press Association Awards

Three young journalists shortlisted for the UK Foreign Press Association Awards

Three young journalists from developing countries have been shortlisted for a prestigious press award.

The reporters, two from Africa and one from India will be flown to London for the UK Foreign Press Association Award

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/content/three-young-journalists-shortlisted-uk-foreign-press-association-awards

Journalism in Syria, impossible job?

Journalism in Syria, impossible job?

Syria is now the world's most dangerous country for journalists. According to a Reporters Without Borders tally, more than 110 news providers have been killed in the course of their work in Syria since March 2011 and more than 60 are currently detained, held hostage or missing.

http://en.rsf.org/syria-journalism-in-syria-impossible-job-06-11-2013,45424.html

Differentiating a Blogger from a Journalist

Differentiating a Blogger from a Journalist

Blogging has become one of the most popular online activities in recent years. Just about everyone has learned how to establish a blog, from housewives to professional SEO company owners to Internet marketers. And one of the debates that have arisen from the activity's popularity concerns the similarities and differences between a blogger and a journalist. Some people say they are irked by bloggers trying to pass themselves off as journalists. Some people say it's no big deal and still others just can't see the difference between the two. So, what is the real score? How do you distinguish a blogger from a journalist and vice versa?

http://www.steamfeed.com/differentiating-blogger-journalist/

Why is the media so quiet on protecting journalists and other civilians in warzones?

Why is the media so quiet on protecting journalists and other civilians in warzones?

The news coming out of the ongoing conflict in Syria is tragic and, for many, too horrible to look at for long. While the reportage is appreciated, one can't help but wonder whether it would be different if foreign correspondent Marie Colvin and the other 32 journalists killed there in 2012 were still alive and reporting on it.

http://theconversation.com/why-is-the-media-so-quiet-on-protecting-journalists-and-other-civilians-in-warzones-18481

Omidyar, Journalism, and Activism

Omidyar, Journalism, and Activism

Glenn Greenwald was a controversial but largely solo investigative reporter and columnist for the Guardian before the recent announcement that Pierre Omidyar was planning on partnering with him in launching a whole new news operation from scratch. This would be just one more nonprofit news startup, but for the fact that 1) it will not be nonprofit, and 2) it will be started with a quarter of a billion dollars in venture capital via Omidyar. His choice was, apparently, to eschew the purchase of theWashington Post in favor of starting something with none of that institution's legacy structures.

http://www.zcommunications.org/omidyar-journalism-and-activism-by-ruth-mccambridge.html

New BBC reporting unit tracks stories taking off on social

New BBC reporting unit tracks stories taking off on social

The BBC has launched a new unit and platform to investigate social media trends around the world and the stories behind them.

The first story, about a piece of CCTV footage that has gone viral in Malaysia and why people share material online, will be broadcast from an in-tweet video on the#BBCTrending hashtag at 5pm GMT today.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/new-bbc-reporting-unit-tracks-stories-taking-off-on-social/s2/a554598/

10 Exciting New Tools For Indie Filmmakers

10 Exciting New Tools For Indie Filmmakers

The future has arrived! Check out a selection of the best new cameras, gadgets and equipment aimed at making it easier than ever to make your own movie.

The invention of the stills camera that can shoot video, the HDSLR, has played a huge role in the continuing democratization of the filmmaking process. Quick definition: a Digital SLR or DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera uses mirrors to direct light from the lens to the viewfinder. An HDSLR is a DSLR that is capable of capturing high definition video.

http://www.creativebloq.com/audiovisual/10-exciting-new-tools-indie-filmmakers-10135050

join the 21st century and let the people film meetings

join the 21st century and let the people film meetings

Newspaper editors, journalism academics, bloggers and the public across Britain should campaign for the right to film and record council meetings.

They should follow the lead of a group of journalism lecturers working at three universities in Leeds who are urging council leaders to accept that the filming and recording of public meetings is in the interests of open democracy.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2013/oct/28/localgovernment-press-freedom

From TV to tablets - how the BBC's onscreen journalism is changing

From TV to tablets - how the BBC's onscreen journalism is changing

BBC journalism is sick – screens within screens

"I used to say what I did and people would understand. Now people say, 'what's that?'" said Amanda Farnsworth, editor of visual journalism at the BBC, during the latest Polis Media Agenda Talk.

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2013/10/28/from-tv-to-tablets-how-the-bbcs-onscreen-journalism-is-changing/

The Evolution of Citizen Journalism in Emergency Management

The Evolution of Citizen Journalism in Emergency Management

No longer in its infancy, our understanding of the role of citizen journalism in the news production process is, although debated, well established. However, citizen journalists are no longer simply playing a role in contributing to the news, but are also playing an important role in contributing to emergency management. Some studies have shown that citizen photojournalism plays a role in communicating information during a crisis; others have discussed the role of Wikinews during the reporting of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In recent years, there has been a noticeable growth in the use of citizen journalism material to inform others, and their contributions and presence is being harvested to complement the management of a crisis.

http://www.emergencymgmt.com/training/Citizen-Journalism-Emergency-Management.html

Islamists Repress Syria's Citizen Journalists

Islamists Repress Syria's Citizen Journalists

Syrian media activists working to establish a credible alternative to the state broadcaster in areas of the country held by rebel groups were dealt a blow this month in the northeastern province of Raqqa, where a radio station that aired criticism of Qaeda-linked militants was closed down by the Islamists and one citizen journalist was kidnapped.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/25/islamists-repress-syrias-citizen-journalists/

What is the future of journalism?

What is the future of journalism?

Arianna Huffington and James Chau discuss the changing media landscape and whether the internet is really an equaliser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPgdH7Vz2Lo

Former NSA spy chief gets a little of his own medicine thanks to random act of journalism

Former NSA spy chief gets a little of his own medicine thanks to random act of journalism

The National Security Agency has gotten a lot of well-deserved attention over the past few months for its massive surveillance program, including an eavesdropping campaign involving hundreds of thousands of phone calls — some of those belonging to prominent politicians such as German chancellor Andrea Merkel — so there was likely more than a little Schadenfreude when a passenger on the Washington-New York commuter train started live-tweeting a conversation by former NSA chief Michael Hayden.

http://gigaom.com/2013/10/24/former-nsa-spy-chief-gets-a-little-of-his-own-medicine-thanks-to-random-act-of-journalism/

One-third of US adults get news through Facebook: Study

One-third of US adults get news through Facebook: Study

, according to a study from the Pew Research Center released on Thursday.

Almost 80 percent of those surveyed happen upon news when they are checking up on friends or sharing photos. Heavy news consumers did not describe Facebook as an important source of news, the study found.

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/one-thirdus-adults-get-news-through-facebook-study_976313.html

SONY RX10: The perfect video journalism tool?

SONY RX10: The perfect video journalism tool?

When you chase news stories and are constantly flying to remote locations like Dan Chung from News Shooter, he's always looking to pare down his gear. And, in dicey locations, there are advantages to looking like a tourist carrying a small camera. In this article, Dan offers some compelling reasons for considering Sony's RX10 for journalism while we all wait for revelations about this cam's image quality.

http://blog.planet5d.com/2013/10/sony-rx10-the-perfect-video-journalism-tool/

Why creating a great clip is only the first step to successful online news video

Why creating a great clip is only the first step to successful online news video

Producing a high-quality, broadcast-style video and sticking it on the Internet isn't enough to make your news video successful. Online video producers must consider shareability, distribution methods, how their users will view the content and more.

http://ijnet.org/blog/why-creating-great-clip-only-first-step-successful-online-news-video

13 journalism blogs in English that you should know

13 journalism blogs in English that you should know

Few professions are changing as quickly as journalism. Gone are the days of simply typing up your story and submitting it for proofreading, or signing off from a program and disappearing into the ether. With the ever increasing developments in multimedia and visual storytelling; data journalism and visualization; online security; finding sources on social media; and, publishing stories to different platforms, there's only so much a humble textbook can keep pace of in modern journalism.

http://mediakar.org/2013/10/23/13-journalism-blogs-in-english-that-you-should-know/

The next news:rewired digital journalism event: Thursday 20 February

The next news:rewired digital journalism event: Thursday 20 February

We will be holding our next news:rewired digital journalism conference on Thursday 20 February – offering another thought-provoking day of digital journalism innovation and inspiration, with industry case studies and practical tips for newsrooms.

http://www.newsrewired.com/2013/10/22/the-next-newsrewired-digital-journalism-event-thursday-20-february/

6 Reasons Journalism Schools Should Teach Students Computer Code

6 Reasons Journalism Schools Should Teach Students Computer Code

October 22, 2013 by Steve Buttry

Journalism students today should learn some computer code. More important, they should get a glimpse of the value for themselves and their newsrooms of greater computer illiteracy.

http://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/6-reasons-journalism-schools-should-teach-students-computer-code/

Public show strong support for investigative journalism

Public show strong support for investigative journalism

Members of the British public are much more optimistic about the future of investigative journalismthan those working in the media industry, according to a poll by YouGov.

Other findings underlined strong support for investigative journalism's role, with more than half believing the impact was positive compared with just 12% of people believing that it was having a negative impact on the UK's democracy.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/oct/23/public-support-investigative-journalism