MEN – Raids Reported In Real-Time

The Manchester Evening News has used social media to keep its website readers up to date with the progress of a series of police raids.

HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk reports that the MEN had a reporter stationed in the control room, where he used Twitter to post updates about the massive police operation.

The tweets were collected under a gmpraids hashtag on Twitter and appeared in a live blog on the web pages of the MEN.



And the newspaper had one of its journalists following police officers as they carried out arrests across Greater Manchester so reports ‘from the field’ were also fed back to the CoverItLive blog.



“CoverItLive was useful for this because it allows our readers who are not on Twitter to follow the reports and also add their own comments,” said Paul Gallagher, head of online content at the MEN.

He added: “I think this has been a good example of our journalists using new online reporting tools to bring a fresh approach to the MEN’s coverage of a live news story.”

See HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk for the full story and visit the MEN website to view the coverage and to replay the live blog.

Hull Paper Offers Live Match Reports

A Northcliffe newspaper is on the ball with its football coverage offering live and interactive match reports.

Fans can follow every minute of Hull City’s Premier League season thanks to a new match day service on sporthull.co.uk, reports HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk.

Using software from CoveritLive, the Big Match Live coverage is available in real-time during games and can be replayed in full after the final whistle.

The live blog also encourages comments from City fans, which then appear alongside posts from journalists at the Hull Daily Mail.



This season has seen sporthull.co.uk introduce a number of other new features, including an aggregation service providing links to Hull City coverage elsewhere on the Web.

“All of these new features enhance the service we give to web users and further differentiate our digital offering from our in-depth and analytical sports coverage in the paper,” said John Meehan, editor at the Hull Daily Mail.

He added: “We will also use the sports sites to promote our print-only sports content.”

Northcliffe has also introduced a new look and new features at three of its other sports sites - sportgrimsby.co.uk, sportscunny.co.uk and sportsecho.co.uk.

Liverpool Paper Makes TV Debut

A live debate about unemployment has become the first programme made in the Liverpool Daily Post’s new digital TV studio.

The half-hour show was streamed live on the business section of the Daily Post’s website using Bambuser technology, reports HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk.

Viewers were invited to contribute by submitting comments in real-time to an accompanying live blog.



Business editor Bill Gleeson declared the online debate to represent “a big leap forward in terms of bringing the digital age to newspaper titles”.

He said: “In the run up to the programme, I looked at how 20 other UK and US newspapers did television, in terms of the standards of presentation, production and research.

“In all of these areas, ours was the best by a long way.”

Following the success of this first digital TV venture, LDP editor Mark Thomas announced that his team is already looking to produce similar offerings in the future.

“We are now working on developing a rolling programme of business debates in the same format and I think this has the potential to bring us in some significant new revenue in the months ahead.”

Attracting Users With Social Media

How news sites attract audiences via social media is the subject of a presentation from net consultant Martin Belam.

Belam, who is information architect for the Guardian’s web development team, presented his findings at last month’s International Social Media Summit.

Among the social media tools and sites discussed were social bookmarking and recommendation sites, blogs and Twitter.

Belam has made his presentation available on Slideshare (see below) and as a six-part series of posts on his currybetdotnet blog.

How major publishers are using social media to drive traffic

View more documents from Martin Belam.

Savvy Socialising

Journalists' rapidly increasing use of Twitter and Facebook is making editors at some newspapers a little nervous, Editor & Publisher reports.

The Wall Street Journal this week expanded its conduct guidelines to include a number of online-related restrictions, including warnings not to "friend" confidential sources or get into Web-based arguments with critics. Other newspapers also have issued new ground rules. For instance, the Los Angeles Times has a lengthy list of "social media" guidelines emphasizing that staffers are linked to the paper when they engage in online activities. "Assume that everything you write or receive on a social media site is public and knowable to everyone with access to a computer," states one guideline.

The L.A. Times actually is among the most active U.S. newspapers on Twitter, with nearly 150 accounts, half of them by individual reporters and other news staffers. "We understand people need to be more casual to fit in to that culture," says Andrew Nystrom, the Times' senior producer for social media. "We encourage them to say what is on their minds, and that gets a better response."

Other editors also say they want staffers to have a casual, open approach. And still others admit they aren't sure how to police social media outlets without curtailing their usefulness.

"I have asked people to use common sense and respect the workplace and assume whatever they tweet will be tied to the paper," said Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, who started tweeting (sparingly) himself just last week. "Even when they are tweeting personal information to their followers, they are still representing The New York Times."

Keller's paper has not established specific rules for Twitter and Facebook, but staff workshops have been held to teach reporters the best use of Twitter. Perhaps the reporter who posted information from an internal staff meeting to her own Twitter account earlier this week -- Tweets that turned into stories for, among others, the Guardian -- missed that meeting.

Telegraph Uses Tweets On Match Report

A flow of football-related posts uploaded to Twitter now adorns the football match report page on Telegraph.co.uk.

Journalism.co.uk reports that the newspaper is using a widget from aggregator Twitterfall to produce the series of tweets scrolling down the side of the page, which features live reports from Premier League and Champions League games.



The widget enables users to develop a custom search so tweets containing the selected key words or terms will then appear in close to real-time.

“Developed by a team of students, using Twitterfall could provide a neat way of following the conversations around certain players, transfer gossip or matches as they’re played,” says Journalism.co.uk.

Telling The G20 Story With Social Media

News reporting via Twitter and AudioBoo became the norm last week as journalists used social media tools to tell the story of the G20 Summit in London.

The majority of the mainstream media got in on the action as social media software provided an ideal way for field-based reporters to provide real-time updates on events at the summit and on the streets of the City.

According to BBC tech correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones: “It does seem as though just about everyone involved in G20 - from the politicians to the journalists, from bloggers to demonstrators - has been snapping, filming recording everything in site and uploading it to the web to share with the world.”

Several online newspapers provided coverage using CoverItLive blogs, including Times Online and Sky News.

On the Sky live blog, correspondents sent text updates and links to photos uploaded to TwitPic.

Meanwhile, the Times Online’s live blog featured embedded photos and eye-witness posts from members of the public.



On Guardian.co.uk, award-winning blogger Dave Hill posted regular updates to his London blog about the action on the ground at the Bank of England.

And the BBC offered multimedia coverage through its Live Map, which linked to geotagged video, text and photographic content.



The BBC also pulled together links to all its G20 related content on a Live Text Page which featured links to news articles and blog posts from journalists as they were published.

An abundance of content from citizen journalists appeared throughout the day on content-sharing sites such as Flickr, and a group of students from London’s City University used their mobiles and social media tools to provide extensive coverage of the street protests (HT – cybersoc.com).

For more on this, journalism.co.uk and the BBC’s dot.life blog have round-ups of how social media was used by the mainstream and alternative media during last week’s events.

Guardian Scoops Digital Awards

The Guardian has won both online prizes handed out by the British Press Awards 2009.

At last night’s ceremony, Guardian.co.uk was named Website of the Year and Dave Hill received the Digital Journalist of the Year title.

Hill is the author of the London Blog on Guardian.co.uk and also writes blog posts on the site’s Comment is Free section.

A full list of all the winners is available on Press Gazette, and here are the shortlists for the digital awards.

If you want to experience the excitement of the event for yourself, Press Gazette’s The Wire and The Guardian’s Organ Grinder published live blogs last night.

[Photo - Party Poppers and More by Su-Lin on Flickr]

Sylvester Gets Tweety In Court

A journalist has been granted permission to provide coverage of a federal court case via Twitter updates.

Ron Sylvester has previously Twittered a murder trial from a state courthouse, but this is the first time that he has been allowed to post Tweets from a federal courtroom, reports Editor & Publisher.

The Witchita Eagle journalist is reporting on the racketeering trial via his Twitter feed, and he has revealed that among his followers is the father of one of the defendants.

According to E&P, Sylvester’s tweets “have recounted testimony and offered some courtroom color”.

The Eagle’s executive editor has asserted that Sylvester’s use of Twitter as a court reporting tool has proved effective.

“He certainly has not sacrificed accuracy, quality and standards,” said Sherry Chisenhall.

She added: “There is an immediacy that has been great for our audience.”

Chat Answers Tech Q’s For Journalists

Two technology experts recently put themselves at the mercy of journalists and their tech questions.

And the end result is an interesting and informative webchat, full of advice, suggestions and lots of links to further resources.

Hosted by Poynter Online, “Ask a Geek” gave reporters, developers and students the opportunity to put their posers to Tyson Evans – interface engineer at nytimes.com – and Jacob Kaplan-Moss – lead developer of django.

Among the subjects discussed are: News widgets, Twitter, interactive features, content management systems and the best ways to start a website from scratch.

Powered by CoveritLive, the webchat has become an archived chat and is well worth a look.

Trinity Live Blogs Newsroom Merge

Web users are getting the inside track on a newsroom merger as journalists and editors live blog their experiences.

Trinity Mirror’s Merseyside titles are implementing a new merged editorial structure and have decided to keep their audiences updated on events via a live blog.

Newspapers including the Liverpool Daily Post and Liverpool Echo are taking part in the live blog, which includes links to stories as they are uploaded as well as pictures of the new editorial hub.

Journalism.co.uk reports that newsroom meetings and editorial conferences will be streamed to the live blog all this week while reporters will also be sending updates via Twitter accounts.



Accompanying the live blog on the Daily Post website is a summary of its purpose:

“It’s going to be an exciting and eventful few days as we settle into our new routines and we wanted to share this with our readers, give you the chance to ask questions, find out how we make decisions on our stories and open up the newsroom to you through this live blog.”

The two Liverpool newspapers are no strangers to the live blog and have produced a series of them using CoveritLive software for events including a murder trial and the tall ships race.

Posting Ideas For New Bloggers

Stuck for blogging inspiration? Fear not as academic Paul Bradshaw has published his 12 ideas for blog posts.

The author of the Online Journalism Blog has produced a list suggesting a dozen of the staple posts for the uninitiated blogger.

Here are a few examples of his recommendations:

* Blogging An Event

Bradshaw suggests attending events such as conferences or meetings and then writing a blog post about it.

He adds that “ambitious bloggers” can also liveblog events as they happen using the various social media tools on offer.

*Create A List

“Lists are enormously popular on the web, frequently topping websites’ ‘most shared’ lists,” says Bradshaw.

He adds: “A good tip for your first post is to make a list of the top ten blogs in your subject area - a useful task for yourself while also making them aware of your existence.”

*Link To Something Interesting

According to Bradshaw, this can vary from responding to someone else’s post which you disagree with to including Useful Links to other things going on in the blogosphere.

*“Pick A Fight”

This can be an argument with a fellow blogger or a David and Goliath style fight between your blog and a major company.

Visit Bradshaw’s blog for the full post.

Blanket Snow Coverage = Traffic Records

Online coverage of this week’s dramatic snowfalls has attracted record audiences for some websites.

Press Gazette reports that Times Online recorded some two million unique users on Monday, according to its assistant editor Tom Whitwell.

The newspaper offered extensive reports on disruptions to traffic and travel on its website and also featured several photo slideshows displaying the light side of the snow.



It was photos and other content from users that made Monday a record-breaking day for the BBC, which received probably its biggest ever response to a news story.

Newsroom chief Peter Horrocks revealed that more than 35,000 people submitted pictures and videos of snow-frolicking during the course of Monday.

Writing on The Editors blog, Horrocks stated that the BBC website saw its fair share of visitors too with 5.1 million unique users just from the UK.

BBC.co.uk offered a host of multimedia offerings in the wake of the heavy snow, including this video capturing a cameraman’s drive to work.

Regional news sites also offered plenty of coverage of the white stuff, for example the Croydon Guardian featured a gallery of user-generated content.

Plymouth’s Western Morning News created a slideshow from wintry photographs and thisiscornwall.co.uk used an interactive map to display its readers’ pictures.

And it’s not just the UK that has been experiencing some visually stunning snowfalls, the US has also seen snowstorms which have prompted some journalists to get busy with social media.

Poynter Online highlights the coverage on the website of The Oklahoman, which included a live blog and an open Flickr channel enabling readers to submit their own photos.



Visit Poynter for more on NewsOK.com's reports on the snow.

Press Gazette Live Blogs SoE Summit

This year’s Society of Editors conference was live blogged by Press Gazette staff.

A team from Gazette used CoverItLive software to post updates and quotes from keynote speakers to the website.



The team also used a dedicated Twitter account to issue real-time updates from the Bristol event.



Now available for replay, the live blog features direct quotes from speakers including BBC business editor Robert Peston and the McCann family spokesman, Clarence Mitchell.

Reports from the event can be found on pressgazette.co.uk and the website for the Society of Editors.

Post & Echo Live Blog Murder Trial

Two Liverpool newspapers are using a live blog to offer almost real-time online coverage of a murder trial.

Journalists at the Echo and the Daily Post email updates to the shared blog from Liverpool Crown Court where a man is being tried for the murder of schoolboy Rhys Jones.

According to HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk, the court-based reporters send copy to their respective newsdesks where it is checked before being put onto the live blog.

The Echo’s news editor Maria Breslin said the live blog, using CoverItLive software, forms part of the newspaper’s aim to provide full coverage of the high-profile case.

“What we’re looking to do with the blog is cover the trial as comprehensively as possible.”

She added that the court updates initiative has so far met with a “positive response” from the audience.

And she also revealed that some comments from users, which can currently not be shown due to legal reasons, will be published following the trial’s conclusion.

Sites Fact-Check Debate Via Twitter

Journalists at an American newspaper provided a real-time fact-checking service during the latest presidential debate.

Reporters working on PolitiFact.com used the site’s Twitter stream to give verdicts on the veracity of statements made during the head-to-head between Barack Obama and John McCain, blogs Amy Gahran at Poynter Online.

The website, a project of the St Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly, is running an online fact-checking service throughout the campaign and offering truth-o-meter readings on claims made by the two candidates and their running mates.





And during the debate its journalists used this growing database of verdicts on statements to update people via the microblogging platform Twitter.

News technologist Matthew Waite explained the website’s two-pronged approach to covering the debate to Gahran.

“The whole live-tweeting thing was just a seat-of-the-pants idea,” he said.

“Every time the candidates said something we’d already checked, we hollered it out.”

He added that at the same time other reporters were keeping an eye out for any new statements from Obama or McCain which could then be checked out as the debate continued.

While Waite himself used Twitter to post links to previous PolitiFact reports on various pronouncements repeated during the discussion.

The initiative has already seen some immediate benefits with the number of people following PolitiFact via Twitter increasing by about 50%.

An audio file containing an interview between Gahran and Waite is available on Poynter Online.

Journal Hosts Football Debate Live Online

The future of crisis-hit Newcastle United was the topic for debate on the Journal’s first ever live webchat.

Chief sports writer Luke Edwards spent Friday afternoon taking readers’ questions about both on the pitch and off the pitch happenings at St James’ Park.



Joining Edwards was multimedia editor Matt McKenzie, who also gave his views in response to comments and queries from a multitude of Magpies’ fans.

Using CoveritLive liveblogging software, the platform enabled users to put their questions straight to the journalists and encouraged debate about the troubled club.

It included several ad hoc polls, asking the audience to give their verdict on interim manager Joe Kinnear and predict Newcastle’s table position come August.

And the chat also incorporated inbound links to previous Journal articles as well as external links to related sites which were submitted by users.

Trinity Sites Live Blog Credit Crisis

Journalists on three Trinity Mirror newspapers teamed up this week to produce a live blog on the current financial crisis.

Websites for the Birmingham Post, Liverpool Daily Post and Newcastle Journal all hosted the live blog providing real-time updates on falls in the share index, according to Press Gazette.

As well as breaking news on the UK stock market, the live blog encouraged direct input from users through comments and interactive polls.

The Banking Crisis Live Blog also featured internal links to in-depth articles and video reports posted on the three news sites, and external links to resources such as the Treasury statement published in full on bbc.co.uk.



Running through Tuesday and Wednesday, the live blog covered both the announcement of the government’s support package for banks and the Bank of England’s interest rate cut.

Hull Kicks Off Multimedia Coverage

A newspaper is aiming to ensure Hull City supporters don’t miss a single kick this season through its multimedia coverage.

The Hull Daily Mail is offering Tigers fans a variety of ways to follow their team’s fortunes in its first season in the top flight, from mobile alerts to real-time match coverage.

HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk reports that the daily newspaper heralded the start of the Premiership season with video footage of post-match press conferences and a video diary from an 85-year-old fan.

The Mail offered online text commentary on the game against Fulham as well as SMS alerts through its Tigers Flash service.

Its multimedia coverage also includes photo galleries, an interactive Tigers World Map and a score predictor competition.

Editor John Meehan explained that the Mail has to up its game now the club has achieved Premiership status: “There will be more media interest in Hull City than ever before but we have put down a marker that our coverage will be better and more comprehensive than you can get anywhere else.

“We’ve set out to give the fans a complete service in the paper and on the web.”

10 Ways To Use Mobile Reporting

Here's a second slideshow we've put together with examples of how some newspapers are taking advantage of mobile technologies.

10 Ways To Use Mobile Reporting

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