Digital First Journos:How we think and work

Steve ButtryNorthern Kentucky University

March 31, 2012#nkujourn

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Digital-first journos think …1. Story is a process, not a product2. Like to be first, but link when we’re not3. Community = collaborators4. When we hear great quote or learn

interesting fact, think, “I better tweet that.”

5. More excited by RTs, likes, shares, pins & links than by front-page play

Digital-first journalists …6. Obstacles = war stories, not excuses7. New gadget or social platform = tool

for better journalism8. When news breaks, thinks of terms to

search for on Twitter9. Journalism future is bright & boundless10. Defies prediction (& lists), thinks of

new ideas, issues & solutions

Working Digital First• Create content for digital platforms (web,

email, SMS, social, mobile)• Produce print & broadcast products from

content on digital platforms• Live coverage of events• Breaking news coverage• Engage community

Court reporter• Live-tweet from courtroom (narrative,

not a transcript)• Feed tweets into liveblog• Big development: Text news alert to

editor• Write summary or analysis story for web

& print

Court reporter, no trial• Traditional rounds: lawyers, judges,

clerks, filings• Add #DigitalFirst rounds: monitor tweets,

search Twitter, Facebook groups & pages• Tweet/alert/blog big filings• Video clips in interviews• Scan or download docs if not online

Beat reporter• Beatblog• Liveblog meetings, hearings, events• Tweet/alert/liveblog breaking news• Live chat on continuing stories• Data visualization• Curate community conversation

Beat reporter questions• How to crowdsource story?• What terms, hashtags should you search

(routinely & for each story)?• Regular/special hashtags to use?• People to follow? New FB pages/groups?• Other social media to search (YouTube,

Flickr, Foursquare, Google+ …)?

Visual journalist• Shoot first w/ smartphone & post• Shoot w/ camera for slideshow & print• Shoot video• Record ambient sound, interviews• If disaster, shoot some after shots for

before/after

Sports journalist• Live-tweet or liveblog game• Color commentary/analysis, rather than

play-by-play (especially if on TV)• Interact w/ fans (polls, answer questions)• Livestream post-game press conferences• Post-game chat

Sports, not game day• Video clips of interviews• Frequent blog updates & tweets• Data visualization of stats• Alerts of breaking news• Webcast and/or live chat

Gathering news on the beat• Video• Links• Databases• Monitor officials, agencies, sources on

Twitter, Facebook, G+, YouTube, etc.• Source documents to upload• Map, timeline

Assigning editor• Monitors social media as well as wires,

scanners, etc.• Staff questions guide digital journalism

(data, Twitter search, hashtags, crowdsourcing)

• Urgency for breaking news, live coverage• Edits digital content for print

Senior editor• Listen, join & lead community

conversation (blog, social media, chats)• Lead staff in trying new tools &

techniques• Digital focus to daily meetings• Post daily news budgets online

Copy editor• Social & Google searches to question &

verify facts• Writes strong SEO headlines• Crowdsources print headlines, news

judgments

Read more about it• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• @stevebuttry• jxpaton.wordpress.com• stephenbuttry@gmail.com