Blogging for Journalists
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The document discusses the rise of blogging and how it has empowered ordinary people to distribute content and share information. It explains how blogging has become an important tool for journalists, allowing them to report more quickly, engage audiences, and cultivate followings. The document provides guidance on how to start and maintain a successful blog, including choosing a topic, writing regularly, and using images, links, and other features to enhance posts.
![“ Ifyou enter the jobs market without
[a blog], no matter how good your
degree, you’re increasingly likely to
lose out to people who better
present all they can do, and have
the experience of creating and
curating their own site.”
Neil McIntosh,
Head of Editorial Development, The Guardian](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/bloggingforjournalistsfinal-120824035548-phpapp01/85/Blogging-for-Journalists-9-320.jpg)
Blogging for Journalists
- 2. Welcome to a World where You Control The Information Age
- 3. The World of Web 2.0
- 4. What does it really mean ? Content power shifts to the masses rather than the “mass media” Mass media is “de-massed” It’s all about YOU
- 5. So What Does This Have to do with Journalism ?
- 6. Everything
- 7. Backpack Journalism Backpack “ Journalism” = All the tools for reporting fit in your backpack
- 9. “ Ifyou enter the jobs market without [a blog], no matter how good your degree, you’re increasingly likely to lose out to people who better present all they can do, and have the experience of creating and curating their own site.” Neil McIntosh, Head of Editorial Development, The Guardian
- 10. So what is a blog ? Weblog - An online dated diary listing your periodic thoughts on a specific topic, often in reverse chronological order. Blog - short form for weblog Blogging - the act of posting on blogs Blogger - a person who blogs Blogosphere - The internet blogging community.
- 11. Blogging Formats Photoblogging - a blog predominantly using and focusing on photographs and images. Photoblogs are created by photobloggers. Podcasting - a method of distributing multimedia files (audio / videos) online using feeds for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. Podcasts are created by podcasters. Autocasting - is an automated form of podcasting
- 12. Blogging Formats Vlogging - Also called video blogging. Shortened to vlog. Posted by vlogger. A variant on the blogging using video instead of text. Audioblogging - Also called audioblog, MP3 blog or musicblogs. a variant on the blogging using audio instead of text. Created by audioblogger. Moblogging - Also called moblogs. A blog posted and maintained via mobile phone. Moblogs are created by mobloggers. Micro-blogging is a form of blogging that allows users to
- 13. Blogs are becoming popular A new blog is started every second Many remain unread and semi-anonymous A few end up with a strong following Most are not created by journalists!
- 14. Who is Blogging ? Bloggers are young More than half (54%) of bloggers are under the age of 30. 55% of bloggers blog under a pseudonym, and 46% blog under their own name.
- 15. Who is Blogging Most bloggers do not think of what they do as journalism. 34% of bloggers consider their blog a form of journalism, and 65% of bloggers do not. 57% of bloggers include links to original sources either “sometimes” or “often.” Most have not “trained” to be journalists 56% of bloggers spend extra time trying to verify facts they want to include in a post either “sometimes” or
- 16. Blogging is Beyond Text Bloggers are using more than simple words to tell their stories: 72% Photos 30% Audio 15% Video
- 17. Lets Look at some Mainstream Blogs
- 18. The Guardian
- 20. Aggregators Beyond news, there are several popular aggregate blog sites for specific areas of interest Examples: Technorati.com BoingBoing.net
- 21. Technorati
- 22. So Why Should you Blog ?
- 23. 3 reasons
- 24. 1.Editorial Leads, speed, space
- 26. 3.Professional Networking Pulling power Development
- 27. How are Journalists using Blogs Encourage audience feedback and involvement "Over-the-shoulder" diary Cultivate audiences Cover events Follow varied rural issues and affairs (and coverage of them) Offer views and opinions Support freedom of expression
- 28. Be careful From They require careful, continuous signposting to guide the reader to the story's main points. When comments run into the hundreds, they need curating and managing. I f done badly, they can descend into a mishmash of tweets and comments without context. They can be too easily deployed by editors on stories to which the format is not suited.
- 29. Lets Watch Two Videos on How to Start a Blog
- 30. So How do we Blog
- 31. Regularly
- 32. Is There a Strategy To It ?
- 33. You have to think about Blog’s Mission Statement List Your Blog Goals List Short Term Objective Primary Target Audience Secondary Target Audience Topics Editorial Calendar Name Frequency
- 34. How to maintain a successful Blog 1.Narrow your niche. 2. Write to inform with clarity and brevity. 3. Write frequently—or at least regularly. 4. Add something to the conversation, conversationally. 5. Show, don’t tell. 6. Seek out new sources.
- 35. How to maintain a successful Blog 7.Have a point of view, but avoid using I. We know it’s you talking. 8. Disclose conflicts of interest. 9. Make your writing scan-friendly with images, blockquotes, subheads, and bulleted lists. And make your blog accessible to visually impaired readers: http://allaccessblogging.com/make-your- blogaccessible. html 10. Pay attention to spelling, grammar, and
- 36. How to maintain a successful Blog 11. Link often—but only to relevant content. 12. Let your readers know when you’re writing. Enable your time stamp. Mention relevant events. 13. Clear headlines are always better than cute headlines. 14. Quote and attribute generously. 15. Use relevant keywords and tags. 16. Incorporate images and embed other media.
- 37. How to maintain a successful Blog 17. Establish commenting guidelines and abide by them when you moderate comments. 18. Integrate feeds from other accounts to keep content fresh and to provide multiple entryways to your blog. 19. Get familiar with Google’s webmaster guidelines: 20. Blog for the process not the payment (but incorporate ads or donations widgets if you need to).
- 38. Here are some ideas on what you could write about 1. Interview someone 2. Respond to something elsewhere 3. Blog an event 4. Reflect on something 5. Do something visual (photos, video, slideshow with commentary) 6. Make a list 7. Write a how-to 8. Let someone else post 9. Ask a question 10. Suggest an idea 11. Pick a fight (in a nice way) 12. Write a glossary or A-Z guide 13. Find, analyse & explain data
- 39. So Lets Start Blogging
- 40. Think of an idea for a blog. Is it going to be about… Your life as a journalist – leads, ideas, what didn’t make it into publication, mistakes, issues, community? Your specialist area – what’s going on, backgrounders, rumours, community? A challenge, a goal, a format – interview 100 major figures; reviews; go eco; swap lifestyles, etc?