Currybetdotnet: What now for local online news video?
Martin Belam turns his attention to local newspaper websites, starting with an overview of video output. Full story...Tags: BBC, Local newspapers, Martin Belam, Video
Tags: BBC, Local newspapers, Martin Belam, Video
Local newspapers must ‘own’ local news, says Curley
In a recent blog post, the Washington Post’s Rob Curley applauds the Las Vegas Sun newspaper for its coverage of a fire at the Monte Carlo hotel, Las Vegas. Curley heaps praise on the layered and multimedia approach the paper took in its reporting, as well as the speed with which it was produced.
This is his breakdown of how the news was reported by the Sun:
1. Began with a live blog, regularly updated by the newsroom staff.
2. Addition of photos - the newspaper also set up a way for users to submit their own images through Flickr.
3. Overview of the situation and context e.g. history of the Monte Carlo hotel.
4. Addition of videos - all put up, as Curley points out, while the building was still burning.
“To me, this was a nearly textbook example of how a local newspaper should cover a big breaking news story in its community in the iPhone era,” Curley writes.
His advice to other newspaper newsrooms: be prepared for breaking news.
- Ask what the contingency plan is for a sudden surge in traffic coming to your site - can it cope?
- Have breaking news page templates to hand - something that Curley used in his time with the Naples Daily News and the Lawrence Journal-World.
- Offer real time coverage to beat rival media.
- Don’t just treat the story in print - this will be after the event has happened and too late.
Why bother? Because, says Curley, local news organisations should use their proximity to events to beat off the competition and serve their audience best.
A comment on this article from Saturday’s print edition of the newspaper, which was used to complement the web coverage, neatly sums up Curley’s argument: “I couldn’t have got that from CNN or any other news station. I was hooked from the start.”
Tags: CNN, Las Vegas, Local newspapers, Monte Carlo hotel, rival media, Rob Curley, The Washington Post, USA, web coverageSimilar posts:
- Crain’s signs up more than 4,000 to daily news alert
- The news as niche
- Rob Curley: reflections and lessons from WPNIs Loudoun hyperlocal project
- Birmingham Post: Local online plans could endanger BBC’s newsgathering, says Post editor
- Breaking news from mobile to Twitter/Seesmic - perfect example of how it works
Main news from Journalism.co.uk- Does a media blackout really help the release of kidnapped journalists? January 8, 2009
- Financial reporting restrictions would be threat to press freedom, says Newspaper Society January 8, 2009
- Guardian to use AdGent 007 to sell online ads in Europe January 8, 2009
- Freelancer of the fortnight: Mark Townsend, Dubai January 8, 2009
- Photojournalists on Flickr: the pros and the cons January 7, 2009
- NUJ launches well-being survey for freelancers January 7, 2009
- Creative Commons Q&A: How can journalists get the most out of it? January 6, 2009
- Student journalist of the year: "Journalistically, I wouldn't really say I'm surviving" January 5, 2009
- Nine online publications breached suicide reporting rules, PCC finds January 5, 2009
- New one-day masterclass to teach investigation methods January 2, 2009
