My final technology column for the Journalist was published just before Christmas and I decided to take the opportunity to reflect a little on how technology has changed our jobs. I also tried to gee up some of the tech-wary journalists by explaining how technology opens the door to so many potential stories. Continue reading
Rosie Niven
Notes of a journalist and information addict
Tag Archives: Journalism
Robot journalism
This spring has seen a mix of successes and failures for programmers hoping to automise elements of journalism.
In mid-March the LA Times broke the news of an earthquake in the city within minutes of it taking place with a story written by a robot, but published by a human. Continue reading
The Journalist, March / April 2014
One of the technology trends that media experts predicted for 2014 is a shift away from mainstream social networks towards private apps like Snapchat and Whatsapp, which are also known as chat apps. My column focused on the challenge for journalists who are going to have to find new ways of connecting with these audiences either for newsgathering or sharing news with them. You can read the column here. Continue reading
The Journalist, December 2013 / January 2014: Sensor Journalism
In this issue, I decided to look at sensor journalism in the tech column, essentially data journalism is when electronic sensors are used to collect data for stories. It is seen as good pairing with data journalism, indeed sensor journalism can help to fill a gap when data is missing. Continue reading
Journalist technology column: Journalism drones / Google Reader alternatives
The use of drones in warfare has been rightly controversial. But they are also attracting the interest of journalists and with two US Journalism schools teaching students how to use drones for reporting it was a good time to look at this new tool for the technology colum.
There are a lot of ethical, legal and regulatory issues to consider, and while drones clearly have their uses, some journalists will clearly feel uncomfortable with this innovation.
Here are some links to articles I found useful when researching this feature. You can also see links to content on alternatives to Google Reader, which relate to my review of Feedly.
You can download the Journalist from the NUJ website.
Melting pot or goldfish bowl? BBC exposes engine room to the public gaze | The Independent
This is nothing new. It was revealed by the Broadcasting House project manager in Ariel – the BBC’s in-house magazine – about 18 months ago. But it is fantastic news that the BBC has stuck with this part of its plans to promote the openness of the newsroom.
For more on this and other initiatives to move the newsroom back into the community, please see my feature for the Journalist in the February / March 2011 issue. I also blogged about newsroom openness at the time.
Student journalists in the community: Learning and legacy
Hyperlocal blogs are a great way for student journalists to get some experience of reporting, community management and online publishing. But what do their potential readers think of student-run hyperlocal blogs? Members of a community in Sheffield recently gave student bloggers a very hard time when they attempted to engage with their potential readership.
The problem seems to stem from the fact that there are two universities in Sheffield, plus a very good further education college, and therefore a lot of students working on community-based projects. Not only do you have journalism students working on community-based projects, you have film makers, geography students, law students and nursing students. At any one time there must be hundreds of students making contact with community groups and local online forums.
Now, there are of course some fabulous examples of students who have done fantastic things for a community as part of their course or with a student society. There are law students who have helped to challenge wrongful convictions as part of the Innocence Network and there are many other fantastic examples of where student projects have been a force for good. Continue reading
Where are the women?
Originally uploaded by MeLicA.
This morning Radio 4’s Today programme hosted a discussion between three successful career women about the existence of a glass ceiling preventing women from progressing in their careers. It was part of former Commons speaker Betty Boothroyd’s stint as guest editor of the show.
The discussion involved Lorraine Heggessey, the first female controller of BBC1, Lucy Neville Rolfe, executive director and a member of the board of Tesco and Rachel Lomax, former deputy governor of the Bank of England. They agreed that often women need to speak up a bit more and overcome the barriers in their own mind, such as fear of failure.
Heggessey said men are often better at pointing out all the things they can do whereas women are often stuck on what they can’t do. If men do get that voice in their head “they squash it down,” she said. Continue reading
One year of freelancing
Last Tuesday, I marked the first anniversary of going freelance full time. It was quite a satisfactory landmark because I would never have thought that I would ever be self employed at all, let alone for an entire year. Business studies was one of my weakest subjects at school and I am sure my teacher would be surprised to hear that I am a relatively successful sole trader.
Back on 23rd October 2010, I wrote about what I had learned about freelancing from my first two weeks. Looking back at what I wrote, it is surprising how little has changed. I am still doing shifts, many booked in the last minute, it is still a feast or famine and I still have slack days. Continue reading
The death of the reporter’s notebook?
Originally uploaded by Brenderous.
Long before social media and smart phones, the humble notebook was the reporter’s best friend. And for most of us it still is.
But not just any old notebook for the majority of print journalists it has to be spiral bound at the top of the pages making it easier to flick over the page. Anything else just won’t cut it when writing at speed.
In fact, the “reporter’s notebook” or “shorthand notebook” almost sets journalists that work with words apart from their counterparts who work in the media of television and radio. Continue reading
Rosie Niven 