Changes 3: New column | Mudanças 3: Coluna nova

And in the latest instalment for changes around here, i’d like to announce that yesterday i started my column dedicated to new media at Rascunho.IOL.pt. I am honored for the invitation they made and hope to provide a few interesting insights about the Media Revolution. The title for this weekly reflection is “Media DJ”, and the English version will be available  in my (new) blog, becoming somehow an extension of my work. Below is the first text for Media DJ.

E no mais recente capítulo dedicado a mudanças por aqui, gostaria de anunciar que ontem iniciei a minha coluna/caderno sobre  novos media no Rascunho.IOL.pt. Estou honrado pelo convite que me fizeram e espero dar algumas visões pessoais interessantes sobre a Revolução dos Media. O título para esta reflexão semanal é “Media DJ”, e a versão em inglês estará sempre disponível no meu (novo) blog, sendo uma extensão do meu trabalho . Leiam o primeiro texto, no Rascunho.

REMIX

Imagine a stage, and you’re sitting in the audience. From up there, one or several characters proclaim the news of the day, the events they chose as the most important. They do it at a certain time, in a ritualized fashion and within a specific duration.They ignore your reactions, and aren’t quite interested in you but in how many of you are watching them. This was the paradigm for the relationship between audience and media. Then came the Internet and everything changed.

Today, the stage and the audience share the same space, there are several voices for many subjects, each one with its own perspective and different origins; information flows within that space between all the elements, from media to users, to other users, to other media. The keywords for this new model are sharing, dialogue, mobility/ubiquity and real time. Contents are made of layers, a new contribution or production is built over the previous one. And everyone can participate: with text, photos, video.

The information industry and journalism are going through the biggest revolution they’ve ever  gone through. The content creation and dissemination tools evolved rapidly, and more important, they are availabe to anyone. The audience became an active element in the creation and disseminaton of information. In a matter of years we went from static versions of newspapers to multimedia rich content, real time information provided by users in social networks and on Twitter, anywhere, to everywhere, which deviated the media from the center of the news paradigm, forcing them to reconsider how to interact with their users, how to work information on the web, publish it, renew it, in a profound change of processes and views. And also how to make that profitable.

The name of this column is Media DJ, because all these changes influenced journalist’s work, demanding new skills. DJ has a double meaning, being the first, the one who, from other people’s music, mixes, remixes, aligns and generates a new dynamic, turning the whole bigger than the sum of its parts; and it also works for Digital Journalism/Journalist. Information DJs do exactly the same as music DJs, they pick up the pieces and generate a a new set, but with a totally different responsibility: they contribute to the creation of a collective conscience, and a well informed society will make better choices. In the end, nothing changed in the fundamental role of journalism, just the way you do it.

Every week i hope to bring a part of that (r)evolution, that is unfolding faster than reality can keep up. You just have to follow the music.

What does Multimedia mean? No, really. | O que é que significa Multimédia? Não, a sério.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

While browsing  the latest addition to my Google Reader list, i found a very concise and elucidative lecture about online media. Kurt Lancaster does a good job explaining the different formats that make a multimedia story and explains what is the difference between scattered multimedia (which is what has been being sold to us as multimedia storytelling) and the paradigm of a true Multimedia story. An interesting example of  integrated multimedia publishing is Flyp magazine. At a first glance it looks like another Flash flipping page magazines, but it has embedded video, interactive graphics, the works. It is not a perfect example, but it is a cool concept. To take that leap means a few things: more technically skilled reporters (in audio, video, programming) and more reporters per story. If you want a unique perspective you’ll need good reporters, and they’ll just need time. Believe me, breaking news is the cheapest news commodity out there right now, and 99 % of the news companies won’t stand out trying to go after them. The money is in creating the long feature.

Enquanto esta a explorar a minha última aquisição para a lista do GoogleReader, encontrei uma palestra concisa e esclarecedora sobre que é media online. Kurt Lancaster faz um excelente trabalho a explicar os diferentes formatos que tornam uma história multimédia, e a diferença entre multimedia acessório (que é o que nos tem sido vendido como multimédia) e o paradigma de uma  história em Multimédia integrado. Um exemplo interessante de uma edição em multimedia integrado é a Flyp magazine. À primeira vista parece mais uma revista para folhear em flash, mas tem vídeo incorporado, gráficos interactivos e outras coisas catitas. Não é um exemplo acabado, mas é um conceito original. Dar o salto do acessório para o integrado siginifica algumas coisas: repórteres com mais competências técnicas (em video, áudio, programação) e mais repórteres por história. Se querem uma perspectiva única vão precisar de bons repórteres, e dar-lhes tempo. Acreditem, as notícias de última hora são o produto com menos valor aí fora, e 99% das redacções não ganham nada aí. O dinheiro está em contar histórias de fundo.

Slideshow – Multimedia Journalism: the transition to digital storytelling

One of my favorite blogs these days is Tracy Boyer’s Innovative Interactivity. I’ve been learning a lot from her on how to develop multimedia journalism projects, whether from cool tutorials or great examples of multimedia storytelling. She made this slideshow for a presentation that gathers much of the information i already shared here with you before. It is a must see, and you can click on the examples she gives to see the original projects in full. If you’re a student or just eager to learn about multimedia this is perfect for you.

Um dos meus blogs favoritos hoje em dia é o Innovative Interactivity da Tracy Boyer. Tenho aprendido muito com ela sobre como desenvolver projectos de jornalismo multimédia, através de tutoriais ou grandes exemplos de narrativas digitais. Ela fez este slideshow para uma apresentação que junta muita da informação que já partilhei aqui com vocês. É imprescindível, e podem clicar nos exemplos dados para ver os projectos originais por completo. Se são estudantes ou têm apenas vontade de aprender multimédia isto é perfeito para vocês.

Links for today | Links para hoje

Monniter

Twitter is increasingly being used by journalists to make contacts and track news events, but the Twitter user-interface (UI) itself is pretty limited making it difficult to track conversations. Fortunately its open API structure and the ability to subscribe to various types of RSS feeds from Twitter means there are a number of ways to track a ‘buzz’ around an event or specific conversations.

• How My Quote Ended Up on the CNN Article, AcademHack

Okay first read this article on CNN about the new whitehouse.gov website, okay you can actually just skim the article and skip to the last three paragraphs. Yes, that’s me being quoted in that article, and yes you are correct that quote makes no sense. What the bleep was I talking about? Perhaps like many stories in the world of journalsim this is partly a story of being misquoted, but there is actually more to it than this. The way the reporter found me, and the context surrounding said quote, while perhaps not a unique story, is certainly illustrative of several trends and problems with old journalism, and perhaps more germanae to this audience, it is a telling story about the future of media and the importance of social networks.

• 9 Telltale signs of amateur video, 10.000words

It’s easy to take good video for granted until you’ve seen bad video: the poorly shot, poorly lit, shaky kind that makes any viewer cringe. Here are some of the worst offenses in videography:

1. Everything looks blue or orange

Video shot outdoors looks blue, while video shot indoors is a puke-colored orange.

Solution: Off-color video is often a result of unbalanced color temperature (see an example here). Use the camera’s white balance feature — usually a single button or found in the features menu — to counteract the offending color.

• The Big Video Debate: Rough or Slick?, MediaShift

Video is one of those new practices we have to get used to as newspaper journalists now working in a Web 2.0 world. One of the key issues is the quality of the video. Do we always need slick, television-style video, which require more specialized skills, or will our community accept “rougher” video, made by amateurs using less sophisticated cameras?

At the Belgian business newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo we use five main video techniques now: prosumer cameras, consumer-type camcorders, Seesmic (webcams) and Flip cameras, and two Sony cameras on a fixed installation for interviews in the center of the newsroom.

I will briefly discuss who is doing what with which cameras, concluding with some issues we are debating these days.

• 7 news story comment guidelines worth looking at, Kurt Greenbaum

I came across a tweet by Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn in which he mentioned revising the commenting guidelines for his blog. So I wanted to find how what he changed, how, and why.

“Back in October, I quit comments altogether (the guidelines were short: “Comments are not posted immediately. We review them first in an effort to remove foul language, commercial messages, irrelevancies and unfair attacks. Thank you for your patience.” (That is) still found on many other Trib Blogs).

I reinstated with the New Year an open comments policy, no pre-review, but here are my rules.”

• Our Plan To Fix The New York Times (NYT), Silicon Alley Insider

The New York Times Company (NYT) needs a long-term plan.  Current management doesn’t seem to have one, so it’s up to us.

Here’s what we would do if Arthur Sulzberger called and invited us to succeed Janet Robinson as CEO.  (Bear in mind that we’re not privvy to the detailed numbers Janet has, so we reserve the right to change our minds).

Our Plan To Fix The New York Times

1. Cut costs 40% by 2010.
2. Continue to raise print subscription prices
3. Explore charging an online subscription fee

• HOW TO MANAGE A NEWSPAPER COMPANY IN A RECESSION, Juan Antonio Giner via Atrium
  

Journalism is our core business.

Period.

Journalists and the newsroom are at the heart of our company.

But, yes, they can and must be more efficient.

New working flows are needed, like new open space and multimedia integrated newsroom facilities.

Train them to serve not just readers but new audiences and communities.

More editing is mpre important than more pages.

This is time for Journalism Caviar.

We need selective and relevant newspapers.

Paté newspapers, not pottage newspapers.

• Are newspapers losing their multimedia mojo?, Mastering Multimedia

Around the multimedia blogosphere, the January doldrums seem to have kicked in. My usual inspirational haunts like Newsvideographer.com, Teaching Online Journalism, Multimediashooter.com have all slowed their publishing cycles. Even my own blog is in need of a New Year’s kick-start. With all the newspaper layoffs last year, over 28,000 from one count, I’m sensing a definite decrease in the multimedia mojo I felt just a year ago. Even the NPPA Monthly Multimedia Contest I run had the lowest amount of entries ever this month.

• “Everyone just Googles”, Joanna Geary

This is a quote taken from a conversation I had with a lawyer about her consumption of news:

“The problem is you people in the media are stuck in your own little world and forget that we’re also quite busy in our own little world and we don’t have time to keep up with what you’re doing.”

Manuals, guides and resources for journalists | Manuais, guias e recursos para jornalistas

Read before use | Ler antes de usar

I was organizing some folders in my desktop when i realized i had a bundle of unread pdfs, that covered issues from Krav Maga to Slide Guitar lessons. And Journalism, of course. Some of these manuals and resources were already referred here at The Lake. They are great for students and seasoned professionals, from writers to multimedia enthusiasts, and are a valuable asset for those who are converting to new media. This is not a final list, so if you have any other links i’d appreciate if you’d share them with the rest of us. Special thanks to Daniel Doyle for helping me out with this one.

Estava eu a organizar algumas pastas aqui no meu computador quando me apercebi que tinha um monte de pdfs por ler, sobre temas desde Krav Maga a lições de Slide Guitar. E Jornalismo, claro. Alguns destes manuais e recursos já foram falados aqui no Lago. São excelentes para estudantes ou veteranos, desde escritores a entusiastas do multimédia, e uma mais valia importante para aqueles que se estão a converter aos novos média. Esta lista não está terminada, por isso se tiverem mais links agradecia que os partilhassem connosco. Um agradecimento especial ao Daniel Doyle por me ter ajudado com isto.

Books | Livros

Journalism 2.0: How to Survive and Thrive
A digital literacy guide for the information age

Download the book for free in your preferred language:

• Edición en Español
  
• Edição em Português
  
• Edition in English

Go to story about the launch of this book.

Handbook of Independent Journalism

Handbook for Bloggers and Cyberdissidents, RSF

Photojournalism, Technology and Ethics: What’s Right and Wrong Today?

The News Manual

We the Media

Online Courses | Cursos Online

• BBC Free Online Courses

These online modules and guides are free for you to use. They were originally designed for BBC staff and in publishing them here we have not made many editorial changes to them.

This is because they are primarily aimed at anyone who is working for, with or alongside the BBC, so the modules still contain some specific references to BBC procedures, methods and services.

• NewsU

NewsU (www.newsu.org) offers newsroom training to journalists and journalism students through its interactive e-learning program and links to other journalism education and training opportunities. The program is a partnership between the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Poynter Institute for Media Studies.

• BusinessJournalism.org

Guides | Guias

• Mindy MacAdams

> Online Media Types

> Interactivity

> Writing for the Web

> No-Fear Guide to Multimedia

> Journalists’ Toolkit

• Online Journalism ‘How-To’ Guides,  OJR

Getting started with an online news or information website? These guides will help you learn what you need to know about reporting, writing and making money on the Internet.

• ItrainOnline Multimedia Training Kit

The ItrainOnline MMTK is a growing collection of “workshop kits” for face-to-face training. The materials use a standard set of templates, and offer building blocks for trainers to build their own courses. But don’t think you need to be a trainer to use the ItrainOnline MMTK! The handouts are valuable information resources for anyone who wants to teach themselves about any of the wide range of topics covered.

Em Português

• Comunicamos.org

• Como tratar  casos de suicídio

O que Não fazer

• Não publicar fotografias ou notas de suicídio. • Não noticiar detalhes específicos do método usado. Este guia encontra-se disponível em português, com tradução autorizada pela OMS. Faça o download do documento completo aqui.

I know there are more resources,especially about video that could make this list. Send them over so i can make it better. We all can.  Leave your suggestions in the comments. Thank you.

Eu sei que há mais recursos, especialmente sobre video que podiam fazer parte desta lista. Enviem-nos para que eu possa fazer melhor. Possamos todos. Deixem as vossas sugestões nos comentários. Obrigado.

Great Multimedia example | Óptimo exemplo de Multimédia

Zach Wise explains how he did it | Zach Wise explica como foi feito este trabalho

There has been a good evolution in multimedia content, which, for the record, is not a standalone video or slideshow, but a mashup of different media elements. And even if we talk about video, we can find an increase in interactivity. So it’s not like the sit back and hold on attitude of television, but a look and explore thing. The web is not television ok? Traci Boyer pointed out this work by Zach Wise for his former newspaper The Las Vegas Sun, not only for the quality of the construction, but also because Zach posted a behind the scenes view, explaining the different elements that make this complex – yet compelling –  narrative. “I was floored when I realized how much data, media and extra functionality was built to enhance an otherwise basic video player. Wise takes storytelling to a completely new level with the introduction of interactive videos.” Traci Boyer Wise has four distinct areas: main video, side menu, map, and an info box that has also video and interactive content. He says he created 20 minutes of video from 20 hour footage, embeds archive videos and adds more 60 minutes of extra footage he felt it made part of the bigger picture. This makes it a bit hard to follow because there are many things happening at the same time, but we can always go back, and explore. Zach Wise also says “Thirst in the Mojave tries to bring a little more web mentality to video but still utilize the linear narrative strengths that make video such a great storytelling tool.” So he’s trying to tie the best of two worlds together. Another great feature for me is the fact that Zach took the effort to do a few things i’ve been defending for some time now: -explain how you did it: many interactive features might go unnoticed simply because the user didn’t understand how things worked. Besides the technical value it works as a guide book; -use the raw data/footage/audio etc: the final work must be edited of course, but make available the raw original material you used. Zach puts it really well: “Transparency is a great tool of truth. Another use of the more info box in this project was transparency. An example of this is a scene in part 3 where Pat Mulroy is talking about the pipeline project on Face to Face with Jon Ralston. In the narrative you see several clips from the program but in the more info box you can watch the entire Face to Face show that those clips came from. Any viewers who might be skeptical that those clips were taken out of context can watch the program and see that the clips were selected appropriately.” So if there was any sort of biased perspective he’d be caught in the act. I did this with my crowdsourced interview with Dave Cohn, edited two videos but made the original interview available so that people could have the full answers and have them in the original order. This sort of “Naked Journalism” is interesting because it helps the audience to understand how and why it was made, and reinforces the feeling of trust and critical spirit towards the work of journalists. Oh, and this took some time doing. A huge amount of it.Don’t miss this one.Kudos to you Zach.

Tem havido uma boa evolução nos conteúdos multimédia, que, é preciso dizer, não são um video ou um slideshow mas a agregação de diferentes elementos de media. E mesmo se só falarmos do vídeo, podemos ver um aumento na interactividade. Por isso não é senta e aguenta como com a TV, mas mais ver e explorar. A web não é uma televisão ok? Traci Boyer destacou este trabalho de Zach Wise para o seu antigo jornal o The Las Vegas Sun, não só pela qualidade, mas também porque Zach fez um post sobre como tudo foi feito, explicando os diferentes elementos que compõem esta narrativa complexa – mas muito interessante. “Fiquei desconcertada quando me apercebi da quantidade de dados, media e funcionalidades extra usados para melhorar o que seria apenas um simples video. Wise leva a narrativa para um nivel totalmente novo com o video interactivo.” Traci Boyer Wise usa quatro áreas distintas: video principal, menu, mapa e uma info box que também tem video e conteúdos interactivos. Ele diz que criou 20 minutos de vídeo a partir de 20 horas de brutos, incorpora vídeo de arquivo e acrescenta 60 minutos de filmagens extra que ele achou que faziam parte do plano geral. Isto faz com que seja complicado seguir tudo o que se passa ao mesmo tempo, mas podemos sempre voltar atrás e explorar. Zach Wise disse ainda que “Thirst in the Mojave tenta trazer um pouco mais de mentalidade web para o video mas ainda usa a força da narrativa linear que faz do video uma grande ferramenta para contar histórias.” Ele tenta juntar o melhor de dois mundos. Outro bom pormenor aqui é o esforço que o Zach teve para fazer algumas coisas que venho a defender há algum tempo: -explicar como se fazem as coisas: muitas características interactivas podem passar ao lado do utilizador apenas porque não percebeu como funcionavam; -usem os brutos de video/audio/dados etc: o trabalho final é editado, mas disponibilizem o material original. O Zach explica bem: “A transparência é uma ferramenta da verdade Outra função da info box neste projecto foi a transparência. Um exemplo disto é a cena na terceira parte onde Pat Mulroy fala do projecto do aqueduto no Face to Face with Jon Ralston. Na narrativa podem ver doversos clips do programa mas na info box podem ver o programa completo de onde vieram esses clips. Qualquer espectador céptico que ache que esses clips foram retirados do contexto pode ver o preograme e ver que os excertos foram selccionados apropriadamente. Por isso se houvesse algum tipo de perspectiva falseada ele seria apanhado. Eu fiz isto com a entrevista em crowdsource com o Dave Cohn, editei dois vídeos mas disponibilizei a entrevista original por inteiro para que os utilizadores pudessem ver as respostas completas e na sua ordem original. Esta espécie de “Jornalismo Despido” é interessante porque ajuda o público a perceber como e porquê as coisas foram feitas, e reforça o sentimento de confiança e o espírito crítico em relação ao trabalho do jornalista. Ah, e este trabalho demorou algum tempo a fazer.  Muito mesmo. Vejam-no com calma. Parabéns Zach.

Watch | Ver

Quenching Las Vegas Thirst

OBCIBER: Votem nos Prémios de Ciberjornalismo | Votes are Open for the Cyberjournalism Awards

O I Congresso Internacional de Ciberjornalismo vai atribuir prémios aos melhores trabalhos e websites de jornalismo digital. Abaixo têm os links para os candidatos às várias categorias, e poderão votar nos vossos favoritos aqui.

The 1st International Cyberjournalism Congress will award the best digital journalism works and websites. Below are the links for the nominated in several categories,so you can see how multimedia is in Portugal.You can vote here.

General Excellence in Cyberjournalism Excelência Geral em Ciberjornalismo 1. Público.pt 2. Portugal Diário 3. Jornal de Notícias

“Breaking News” 1. Assalto aos BES – Público.pt 2. Desastre em Madrid – Jornal de Notícias 3. Assalto ao Balcão do BES – Portugal Diário 4. Presidenciais EUA: 1, 2, 3 partida – Portugal Diário

Multimedia Story Reportagem Multimédia 1. A morte lenta do gelo eterno – Jornal de Notícias 2. Novas oportunidades – Sapo 3. Em busca de medalhas no Oriente – Rádio Renascença 4. Regicídio: o crime quase perfeito – Portugal Diário

VideoJournalism Vídeojornalismo 1. Profissões cada vez mais raras – Rádio Renascença 2. Caminho onde o morto matou o vivo – Portugal Diário 3. Amor Cão – Jornal de Notícias 4. Chiado ardeu há vinte anos – Público.pt

Digital Infographics Infografia Digital 1. Acesso ao BES – Sol 2. Conheça São Bento – Rádio Renascença 3. Tudo sobre F1 – Jornal de Notícias 4. Passeio no Eléctrico – Jornal de Notícias

College Cyberjournalism Ciberjornalismo Académico 1. Prostituição no Porto – JPN 2. Pescadores de Vila do Conde – JPN 3. Porto encheu Rua Cândido dos Reis – JPN 4. Restauro dos órgão dos Carmelitas – JPN 5. Porto feliz, um ano depois – JPN

Votem aqui | Vote here

Multimédia: Será possível um Obama em Portugal?

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Na véspera das eleições norte-americanas – onde um factor tão irrisório para a avaliação da competência como a côr da pele pesa na decisão dos leitores – o Parlamento Global tentou descobrir se seria possível ter um candidato político com uma pigmentação diferente. Um trabalho da minha amiga Joana Beleza.

Mapas e candidatas Brasil08 | Maps and female candidates Brazil08

Flash & GoogleMap

O Paulo Querido lançou-me um desafio e aqui está o resultado. Há já muito tempo que queria fazer um trabalho informativo em Flash, e seguindo a sugestão do Paulo fiz um mapa sobre as mulheres candidatas às eleições municipais nas capitais estaduais brasileiras, realizadas a 4 de Outubro. À medida que ia fazendo o trabalho, fui pensando noutros formatos para apresentar esta mesma informação, e o mais óbvio pareceu-me ser um GoogleMap, por isso fiz outro dessa forma. O projecto em Flash é só uma demo por isso graficamente não está perfeito, e além disso sou autodidacta em ambos os formatos. Façam os vossos comentários e sugestões.

Paulo Querido challenged me and here’s the result. I’ve been planning for some time to create a news project in Flash, and following Paulo’s suggestion i did a map about the women running for mayor in the brazillian state capitals, in the elections held last October 4th. As i was doing the project i kept thinking about other formats to present this same information, and Google Maps seemed an obvious choice for me, so i did one about it too. The Flash project is just a demo so it’s not perfect graphically, and i’m self-taught working with both formats. But go ahead, do your comments and suggestions.

Mapa Mulheres Candidatas Brasil08 | Map Women Candidates Brazil08

Já começou | Knight News Challenge | is on

Worldwide Contest Reopens With $5 Million
For Digital Media Experiments to Innovate Journalism

We’re giving away around $5 million in 2009 for the development and distribution of neighborhood and community-focused projects, services, and programs.

If you have a great idea that will improve local online news, deepen community engagement, bring Web 2.0 tools to local neighborhoods, develop publishing platforms and standards to support local conversations or innovate how we visualize, experience or interact with information, we’d like to see it! You have the opportunity to win funding for your project and support within a vibrant community of media, tech, and community-oriented people who want to improve the world.

There are three rules to follow to apply to the 2008-09 Knight News Challenge:

1. Use or create digital, open-source technology as the code base.
2. Serve the public interest.
3. Benefit one or more specific geographic communities.

Get support for your application before you submit: The brand-new News Challenge Garage is a coaching and mentoring site for prospective applicants to talk with mentors and peers, check out previous winners’ applications and improve your application before you submit.

Applications for the 2008-09 cycle will be taken starting September 2, 2008 and close on November 1, 2008.

Está aí o Knight News Challenge, o maior prémio para o desenvolvimento de jornalismo multimédia, comunitário e open source. Entre os vencedores da última edição estão o Dave Cohn, o Ryan Sholin e Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Se tiverem ideias participem e testem-nas no News Challenge Garage.

Here’s Knight News Challenge latest edition, the biggest prize for the development of multimedia, community based, open source journalism. Amongst last year’s winners are Dave Cohn ,Ryan Sholin and Sir Tim Berners-Lee . If you have any ideas apply and test them at the News Challenge Garage.