The Answer to Staying Current in a Forever Changing Industry

Week 5 - Fairfax Reading

If there is one thing I have learnt over the past 2 years whilst studying Journalism it is that to keep up with a field that is ever changing, fast paced and extremely competitive it is that you must stay current. You must stay new. You must constantly be re-inventing yourself and moving forward. You have to learning new things. Adopt new skills. New techniques. New ways of looking at things. You've got to be on your toes and able to keep up!  Create in an industry that never stops creating!

Basically innovate or die. Learn how to adapt. Before, news delivery was limited mostly to print, radio and television. Since the introduction of the internet journalists have had to learn how to re purpose news content for online and how to write for multi new audiences who are now present on these platforms.

Journalists from 10 years ago have learnt to adapt. Journalists from 5 years ago have done the same. I'm sure that in the next few years I will look back at what I'm learning now and see a massive change as well - I'll have to adapt to.

Some people curse online media and the introduction now of 'internet trolls' and cyber bullies  who leave disgusting, hate filled messages on any comment box left open. They say online journalism is to too quick - trying to keep up with the story as it breaks and as a consequence journalists stories now lacks substantial editing, fact checking and validation and therefore overall credit.

Regardless of how it’s seen, "innovation is about being part of the change, creating ways of telling stories which will best embrace new and available technologies as they emerge". This means presenting a story in the most effective way possible by engaging audiences with images, videos, podcasts, info graphics or apps. As a journalist it is our responsibility to keep up with society as it changes.

Journalists from years ago did not present news content in such a way they are now. They learnt to innovate. I wonder what changes I will have to make in 10 years? How will I be innovative?

Increasing Follower count on Social Media Platforms

Week 4 - Fairfax Forum with Natalie Sutton

In last weeks Fairfax forum Audience Development Manager, Natalie Sutton, gave QUT student Journalists great advice on how to increase our followers across social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook!

Here are some of her top tips for getting seen:


Journalists have the ability to turn the follow option on here: https://www.facebook.com/help/201148673283205

1. Engage with other conversations and other journalists
2. Post a different angle to a breaking news story
3. Monitor what is trending
4. Use the right hashtags
5. Tag posts
6. Monitor what is going well using bit.ly behind your links
7. Use engaging images in your Facebook posts (This is crucial to being seem), we have a meme tool for social media posts that we use
8. Leverage a quote
9. Use original content
10. Post videos directly to Facebook

"Don't Even Think About Going into Journalism Unless you are Nosey"

Week 3 - Lecture Content Nikki Parkinson

This is so so so so incredibly accurate.

To be a journalist you need to have a thirst, and undying thirst for answers. I have held this trait since the beginning of time. I am SO incredibly nosey. Always wanting to stick my 2 cents into everyone else's business.  Pricking my ears up at the slight sound of juicy gossip or a scandalous news development at work or at uni or within the family. "i cant help it" I plead, "I'm a journo its in my nature god dammit!"

I always seem to want to know the most obscure or peculiar details of a situation - whether it be a best friends recount of her date, my fathers win at the local fishing comp or my sisters plans for her Europe trip this August. Where did he look when he said that? Did he touch your arm? Did he make eye contact? Was he hesitant when approaching the door? What did he order? What did you order? What time did you get home? Did he text you? Did he use emojis? How was the punctuation? (all very important things to ask when attempting to decipher a boys behavior and his potential boyfriend status).

This same nature extends into hard news and fighting for the public's right to questions things. Amy Remeikis in our lecture today told us that we have a responsibility to our readers to call bullshit and questions things we don't think are right.

This excites me - being paid to be nosey and question things. To poke and prod and push things until I get the answer I want! All with warrant of course because 'Hey I'm a journalist!". I cant wait to be paid for this.

Monitoring of Comments on News posts (Social Media)

Week 2

In this new digital age of online news, readers are encouraged to leave comments on news posts expressing their opinion or stance on the news topic at hand. This, in its self, isn't new - letters to the editor in print newspapers dating back decades! People have always been able to share their opinion, but with respect, a sense of awareness, respect and moral decency (and their full name and address)

These days, anonymity is now an existing constant in the equation of online comments since news publishing blossomed on the Internet. Readers are able to create *cough* HIDE behind *cough* accounts with usernames like 'puppylover536' and 'aussiekind_77' and say whatever sexist, racist and discriminatory comments they please.

Although news organisations encourage public debate at what point do we draw the line? Yes, everyone deserves their fair say but what happens when that opinion is overtly offensive and inappropriate? Insensitive? Some comments are cruel and disrespectful and plain right mean. Essentially comment sections on the internet are breeding spots for ignorant, un-accepting vermin who wish to spread nothing but hate.

Monitoring of online news comment sections are extremely important for this reason. I cant think of any news organisation which doesn't employ someone full time to sit and sift through hundreds of online comments - removing the ones which are not expected to just offend (opinions are offensive and not everyone will see eye to eye so deal with it) but the scathing comments which use abusive and extremely insensitive.

Read more about news sites which are choosing to moniter the comments section in respect to other readers here

Masterchef Finale 2015

Week 1

Last night was the 2015 Masterchef finale - a night I had waited 3 months for.

Being the dedicated, over dramatic Masterchef fan I am I was keen to watch the show live and join the conversation online to hear what other people had to say about the outcome. (Sidenote: I was rooting for my fave girl Georgia to take the title but like always the pressure got to her and opponent Billie ended up winning. *sigh*)

Without a doubt the two-and-a-half hour finale had a lot of attention drawing in 2.7 million people from around the country - giving Channel Ten is strongest ratings in four years!

Throughout the show I was swapping between Facebook and Twitter screening what my friends/and others had to say about the show stopping final episode for season 4.

Engaging with other people across Australia whilst watching the Finale was a unqiue and quite exciting experience! I enjoyed it a lot. 

As expected, a lot of news articles where released within 15-20 minutes revealing the winner however I was surprised to see journalist Bhakhi Puvanenthiran for the Sydney Morning Herald running with a live blog of the Finale! Filled with a running commentary, updates on challenges and other viewers tweets it was an exciting (and hilarious) way to consume this kind of news. (I know its just fluff news but its an innovative and creative way to add colour to this kind of thing) (Plus this counts as hard news to me, remember? Die hard Masterchef Fan!!)

Check it out here

Here are a few of my favourite tweets from the night:

Seeing the past contestants hanging out with eachother!! Ahhhh Brent!! *Swoon*

 SAME I LOVED REYNOLD *cries*

Same, Erin, same.

Now that Masterchef is over I'm not sure which I should decide to watch....Hotplate or Restaurant Revolution>