For the past 13 weeks, I've maintained this blog for my digital newsroom class. It was almost poetic justice. I've spent a great deal of time personally criticizing a number of personal blogs that are more like online diaries.
My favorite site to make fun of and post snarky comments to is Lifebycandlelight.
This semester, it became my turn. And it's harder than it looks.
Given that this was a class assignment, I didn't have the burden of coming up with a theme. My instructor gave us the broad topic of "anything journalism." Okay, that's enough to stump me.
But I got over it and started getting in the swing of blogging. Part of the difficulty for me was writing about topics that hardly anyone will read. Okay, maybe some friends, classmates and, of course, Doug, my instructor. It really made me realize how important writing to your audience is.
Then Blogger shut me down. Called me names like spammer. Sheesh, that was hard. I had to prove my innocence. Please, blogger, let me post again.
Then I was granted a stay of execution. Blogger let me back online.
So the posts continued and, eventually, I developed my own rhythm and found my voice.
I'm not sure if I'll continue this blog as it exists today or if it will take the form of the dreaded online diary. Stay tuned.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
YourHub.com
The Rocky Mountain News runs YourHub.com, a local community Web site that covers more than 40 different communities. The Web site began last spring and features stories, events listings, calendars, photos and personal profiles post by folks in the community.
Howard Rothman of New West, wrote a piece about YourHub allowing politicians using the Web site to promote their campaigns or attack opponents.
John Temple, editor of the Rocky, posted a reply on Romenesko's Web site defending the format of YourHub.
One of the tricky points of the site is that although folks have to register, just about anyone can post to the site. There's not a lot of information provided about the source. You can check out people's biography information, but who really does that?
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
L.A. Times Blog Suspended
The LA Times suspended Michael Hiltzik's Golden State blog earlier this month after learning that he posted comments to the paper's site and other sites under names that weren't his. The postings violated the Times' ethics policies.
Check it out.
Hiltzik received a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 for his investigative piece on corruption in the music business.
Now, he's been accused of being dishonest on his blog, posing as readers who frequently come to his defense when other readers question his opinion. He was uncovered by a rival blogger who started to piece things together and eventually tracked the comments to Hiltzik's IP address.
This apparently isn't the first time that Hiltzik has been in trouble at the times. More than 10 years ago, he was busted for hacking into his co-workers' email while working at the paper's Moscow bureau.
But what are the standards for blogs? By their nature blogs are more intimate and sardonic and Hiltzik is a columnist. He doesn't pretend to be an unbiased reporter.
As newspapers rush to join the blogosphere, there needs to be more thought put in place about what is acceptable and what's not acceptable.
But one thing is for sure, when you're hiding your identity, that doesn't just skim the edge, it's a bad side of town.
Check it out.
Hiltzik received a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 for his investigative piece on corruption in the music business.
Now, he's been accused of being dishonest on his blog, posing as readers who frequently come to his defense when other readers question his opinion. He was uncovered by a rival blogger who started to piece things together and eventually tracked the comments to Hiltzik's IP address.
This apparently isn't the first time that Hiltzik has been in trouble at the times. More than 10 years ago, he was busted for hacking into his co-workers' email while working at the paper's Moscow bureau.
But what are the standards for blogs? By their nature blogs are more intimate and sardonic and Hiltzik is a columnist. He doesn't pretend to be an unbiased reporter.
As newspapers rush to join the blogosphere, there needs to be more thought put in place about what is acceptable and what's not acceptable.
But one thing is for sure, when you're hiding your identity, that doesn't just skim the edge, it's a bad side of town.
Covering the Duke Story
The newspapers and television newscasts have enthusiastically covered the allegations of sexual assault surrounding the Duke lacrosse team. Read about it on CNN.
Sexual assualts can be a difficult subject to cover for reporters and editors alike. For example, many news agencies have long-standing policies about not identifying the victim.
The News & Observer granted the alleged victim anonymity to share her side of the story. She shared many details that simply weren't verified. Because there wasn't an arrest at the time of her interview, her story could be construed as a smear campaign against the lacrosse team.
But how do you report the story while ensuring fairness for all parties involved?
Sexual assualts can be a difficult subject to cover for reporters and editors alike. For example, many news agencies have long-standing policies about not identifying the victim.
The News & Observer granted the alleged victim anonymity to share her side of the story. She shared many details that simply weren't verified. Because there wasn't an arrest at the time of her interview, her story could be construed as a smear campaign against the lacrosse team.
But how do you report the story while ensuring fairness for all parties involved?
Privacy on the Web?!
The News & Observer in Raliegh, N.C, recently published comments residents had posted to a Yahoo Web site about a local controversy surrounding a night club. The papers published three messages posted to the site, along with the authors' names.
It poses the question: Is it right for the newspaper to user personal information posted on the Internet? A growing number of people use the Internet as a way to communicate, especially through user groups and other forums.
Should a newspaper establish standards or "best practices" regarding how it uses the Internet as a reporting tool? Should there be different standards when the online research leads to private citizens?
The Internet is commonly considered a public domain and the items posted to the Yahoo! message board were easy to find.
In publishing the comments, the editors and reporters forgot the first rule of reporting. Verify the facts. Did the reporters take the time to ensure that the posts were actually posted by authors? Could they have been posted by someone posing as the authors?
Fairness and accuracy are the foundations of good reporting. Newspapers should inform private citizens if their Internet posts are going to become part of a news story. It will help maintain a reputation for solid journalism practices.
It poses the question: Is it right for the newspaper to user personal information posted on the Internet? A growing number of people use the Internet as a way to communicate, especially through user groups and other forums.
Should a newspaper establish standards or "best practices" regarding how it uses the Internet as a reporting tool? Should there be different standards when the online research leads to private citizens?
The Internet is commonly considered a public domain and the items posted to the Yahoo! message board were easy to find.
In publishing the comments, the editors and reporters forgot the first rule of reporting. Verify the facts. Did the reporters take the time to ensure that the posts were actually posted by authors? Could they have been posted by someone posing as the authors?
Fairness and accuracy are the foundations of good reporting. Newspapers should inform private citizens if their Internet posts are going to become part of a news story. It will help maintain a reputation for solid journalism practices.
Are blogs succeeding?
After more than 80 days after her kidnapping from the streets of
Before her release, her captors demanded that she make anti-U.S. remarks that were subsequently video recorded. The recording was posted on jihadist Web site that has also shown beheadings and attacks on American forces.
Following her release, Carroll denounced the video, saying that she was forced to make the statements.
Seems reasonable enough. Do what your captors tell you to do or risk dying. Arizona Sen. John McCain seems to agree. He would know, given his experiences as a prisoner of war during
Many people were stunned and shocked about Carroll's comments, but a surprisingly large chunk of the blogosphere reacted to the news with a torrent of scathing hatred.
Orrin Judd at the BrothersJudd.com declared that Carroll "may as well just come right out and say she was a willing participant." Debbie Schlussel labeled Carroll a "spoiled brat America-hater" and a commenter at RedState.com asserted, "she was anti-America when she went over there and I say the kidnapping was a put up deal from the get go."
Remember, they were saying this about a woman who had been kidnapped and held hostage for months. Videos of her crying and pleading for her life had been shown.
Carroll renounced the statement a day later, stating, "fearing retribution from my captors, I did not speak freely. Out of fear I said I wasn't threatened. In fact, I was threatened many times."
At their best, blogs can pressure established news organizations (mainstream media) to produce their best work. But, when blogs stop checking the facts and start declaring that Jill Carroll faked her tears on her hostage tape, this is not progress.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Evolution of TV over the Internet
Do you read a newspaper online? How about listen to your favorite radio station? Are you ready to watch "Desperate Housewives" over the Internet? For free?
ABC's parent company, Walt Disney Co., announced that some of its more popular programs will be available online for free for a couple of months.
Disney isn't breaking new ground here. Internet television has become more and more popular over the past year, with so many companies offering the option to watch shows online or download them to your iPod.
But Disney's offer of free video content offers proof that traditional television business models are changing. Offering free programming directly to viewers over the Internet threatens existing television business. But it is encouraging to see the evolution happening.
ABC's parent company, Walt Disney Co., announced that some of its more popular programs will be available online for free for a couple of months.
Disney isn't breaking new ground here. Internet television has become more and more popular over the past year, with so many companies offering the option to watch shows online or download them to your iPod.
But Disney's offer of free video content offers proof that traditional television business models are changing. Offering free programming directly to viewers over the Internet threatens existing television business. But it is encouraging to see the evolution happening.
Hot Zone Reporting
Kevin Sites is used to attracting a large audience - especially when he was on the evening news. But that's changing for him now. For a few months now, Sites has reported from dozens of war zones around the world and posts his stories online at Yahoo's news Web site.
Read his stories here.
His audience size may have shrunk, but Sites' stories tell the stories about human lives caught in these conflicts. Sites has traveled to Somalia, Congo, Columbia, Iraq, Uganda and Afghanistan as part of this gig.
Sites operates as a solo journalist - creating the copy, video and photos himself. His backpack is filled with two digital camcorders, digital camera, an Apple laptop, a couple of phones and a satellite modem. Plus he has a team of producers in Yahoo's California offices helping him.
As part of the evening news, he had to compete with other reporters to get his stories aired. But, that's a thing of the past. He's not restricted on time or format. His stories receive the prominence they deserve.
Read his stories here.
His audience size may have shrunk, but Sites' stories tell the stories about human lives caught in these conflicts. Sites has traveled to Somalia, Congo, Columbia, Iraq, Uganda and Afghanistan as part of this gig.
Sites operates as a solo journalist - creating the copy, video and photos himself. His backpack is filled with two digital camcorders, digital camera, an Apple laptop, a couple of phones and a satellite modem. Plus he has a team of producers in Yahoo's California offices helping him.
As part of the evening news, he had to compete with other reporters to get his stories aired. But, that's a thing of the past. He's not restricted on time or format. His stories receive the prominence they deserve.
News Corp. buys stake in jobs search engine
Watch out Monster.com and HotJobs, Rupert Murdoch's New Corp is investing in a jobs search engine company called Simply Hired. This is just another example of Murdoch's growing interest in online classified job ads.
Simply Hired is a bit different than Monster or HotJobs. Employers can't post job postings on the site. Rather, it's an advertising-supported Web search engine that lets folks looking for jobs search other sites like CareerBuilder.com, Monster and Craigslist.
Given News Corp's foundation in the newspaper business, it's understandable that they want to reclaim revenue generated by classified ad sales. Over the years, Murdoch has tried to get more and more newspapers to change their business models to survive the recent digital convergence.
Don't expect News Corp to go silent after this investment. Company executives claim to have $1.4 billion reserved for future Internet investments.
Simply Hired is a bit different than Monster or HotJobs. Employers can't post job postings on the site. Rather, it's an advertising-supported Web search engine that lets folks looking for jobs search other sites like CareerBuilder.com, Monster and Craigslist.
Given News Corp's foundation in the newspaper business, it's understandable that they want to reclaim revenue generated by classified ad sales. Over the years, Murdoch has tried to get more and more newspapers to change their business models to survive the recent digital convergence.
Don't expect News Corp to go silent after this investment. Company executives claim to have $1.4 billion reserved for future Internet investments.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Affiliates Benefit from Fox's Media Deal
Television stations are grappling with the effects of the availability of current TV shows online. The relationships between broadcast networks and their affiliates are strained, to say the least.
But Rupert Murdoch's Fox TV is attempting to heal the wounds. Fox Television has signed a deal permitting 150 affiliates to share in revenue generated from online downloads. Industry analysts claim this example could serve as the business model for other television networks.
The agreement by Fox would allow stations to get a portion of the extra revenues for up to a year after they air a program. The exact percentage isn't known.
It's a big win for affiliates, letting them be able to participate in revenues from reruns shown on platforms other than the stations.
Other industry analysts view Rupert Murdoch's News Corp as one of the most aggressive media companies on the Internet.
Stay tuned. There's bound to be ripple effect to this financial change.
But Rupert Murdoch's Fox TV is attempting to heal the wounds. Fox Television has signed a deal permitting 150 affiliates to share in revenue generated from online downloads. Industry analysts claim this example could serve as the business model for other television networks.
The agreement by Fox would allow stations to get a portion of the extra revenues for up to a year after they air a program. The exact percentage isn't known.
It's a big win for affiliates, letting them be able to participate in revenues from reruns shown on platforms other than the stations.
Other industry analysts view Rupert Murdoch's News Corp as one of the most aggressive media companies on the Internet.
Stay tuned. There's bound to be ripple effect to this financial change.
Google Local Hires Classified Ad Veteran
Google Local recently hired Sam Sebastian to help the search engine form, er, improve relationships with newspapers.
Seems to make sense. Bring the guy who knows the ins and outs of newspaper classified ads to the search engine. But, it's a slipperly slope. Sebastian's knowledge could end up threatening newspapers instead of building bridges.
Seems to make sense. Bring the guy who knows the ins and outs of newspaper classified ads to the search engine. But, it's a slipperly slope. Sebastian's knowledge could end up threatening newspapers instead of building bridges.
Sebastian's hiring isn't the first time an Internet portal or search engine have hired newspaper veterans. Yahoo! made the news years ago when it picked Dan Finnigan to run Hot Jobs. Formerly with Knight Ridder Digital, Finnigan went to Hot Jobs after rebuilding Career Builder.
Bashing Bush on Company E-mail
John Green, ABC's executive producer of Good Morning America (weekend version), was suspended at the end of March of a couple of e-mails he sent out disparaging President Bush and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Green's suspension was for a month without pay.
The Drudge Report uncovered a copy of the e-mail message.
ABC Executive Producer James Goldston claimed the lesson learned:
The Drudge Report uncovered a copy of the e-mail message.
ABC Executive Producer James Goldston claimed the lesson learned:
What we can learn from this is: Watch what you write in your e-mails,” Goldston said.
Another lesson: Don’t use your corporate e-mail to say that the President “makes me sick” or the former Secretary of State has “Jew shame.”
And yet another lesson as Green’s colleagues search through their own outboxes to see what e-mails they might have sent that could lead to endangering their jobs, is: Watch whom you write your e-mails to.
Apparently, one of Green's recipients didn't like the e-mail and allowed the message to go public, igniting the scandal. Turning themself into a leak.
Television news divisions have always been tough on leakers, yet the network hasn't clarified how hotly the executives may be pursuing the leak.
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