The BBC paid £17.5 million in bonuses to a total of 9,777 staff, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Informaton act.
The overall figure for bonuses was less than in previous years, however. A pay freeze for senior executives at the corporation was announced in November last year.
The Telegraph’s Peter Foster writes: “In an article headlined ‘Who is spinning the propaganda?’, Patrick Whiteley, an Australian columnist for the paper [China Daily], attacks The Telegraph for ‘constantly labeling’ Chinese government initiatives as propaganda.”
“This is factually incorrect,” Foster responds. “When The Telegraph writes about Chinese health reforms or its plans to green the economy, as I have on this blog and in the pages of the newspaper, the word ‘propaganda’ is nowhere to be found.”
The Telegraph’s website gets eight per cent of its traffic from sites like Digg, delicious, Reddit and Stumbleupon, its head audience development, Julian Sambles, has said.
According to Coles’ calculations, this amounts to around 75,000 unique visitors a day gained through social sites.
Search engines are responsible for around 300,000 daily uniques, Sambles added. Earlier this year Sambles discussed the site’s search strategy at an Association of Online Publishers forum (AOP).
Today’s budget announcement is being billed as the most significant of recent times given the UK’s current financial woes.
This is both a breaking news story, but one that requires closer analysis and follow up – and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to make it relevant to the reader.
So how are news organisations covering it online and who’s ticking these boxes?
Telegraph.co.uk
Currently performing well in Google News search for budget, the Telegraph is going in big on online coverage today.
It will be updating throughout the day via its @Telefinance Twitter account (headed up by @hrwaldram). Meanwhile a trio of Telegraph reporters have been liveblogging budget news since 6:30am.
On the subject of Twitter – the Telegraph has reinstated its Twitterfall – an embed aggregating all Twitter updates marked #budget. The feature had to be taken down earlier in the week, because of some mischief, but so far so good with the tweaked (filtered?) version.
In addition there’s a nice ‘What to expect’ guide breaking down the issues that are likely to feature in the budget announcement.
FT.com
Arguably the go-to site for budget coverage given its specialism, the FT is building on tried and trusted features from last year (a budget day podcast, video analysis, a budget calculator) with a new liveblog from 12pm covering Alistair Darling’s speech, editor Robert Shrimsley, who will participate, told Journalism.co.uk.
The format is based on the site’s MarketsLive feature successfully developed and used by its Alphaville blog. As such it will ‘bring people people up to speed, but inform them in an entertaining way’. Financial analysis but entertaining – two styles that rarely meet, said Shrimsley, but that will be key to FT.com’s liveblogging of the budget.
“There’s a premium on getting that information out and telling people what its means. We feel at the FT that we have the right people to pass on that analysis,” explained Shrimsley.
There will be a Twitter feed too, but it’s crucial not spam people with updates, he added. Readers are encouraged to participate in both this stream and the liveblog though.
Alphaville isn’t being used as a lab for experimenting with new ways of coverage, he stressed, but there is potential for more liveblogging across the site. It’s important not to overdose on technology, however, but to use only when applicable, he added.
“Can we offer our audience what is worth reading? There’s lots of innovation on the internet and there’s lots that you can do – that doesn’t mean you have to,” he said.
Channel 4 News website
More use of Twitter by the Channel 4 news team – as introduced by presenter Krishnan Guru-Murphy in the vid below:
There will also be use of CoverItLive (CiL) for a liveblog starting at 12pm, which was similarly used in the site’s coverage of the G20 summit.
Some nice additional touches include the use of FactCheck to test the claims made by the chancellor in the budget; and a wordcloud (or Snowcloud) of Darling’s announcement.
Sky News Online and Times Online
A specially built budget page has been set up including a liveblog, live video streams of the budget speech, and analysis from bloggers, tax experts and taxpayers, the site told us. There’s a good guide to how to use Sky’s online coverage too – one particular highlight, the chance for users to get answers from PKF UK tax accountant Matt Coward.
Meanwhile Times Online will be following up its excellent liveblogging of the G20 summit with a version starting at midday today.
Liveblogging at regional level
Deciphering what the budget means for the average news reader is being tackled head on by the Newcastle Evening Chronicle with a liveblog taking place across a number of Trinity Mirror centres.
“We’ll be mainly trying to digest it for *normal* people with rx [reactions] from experts, rather than the scary £180bn debt figures,” said Colin George, multimedia editor, in a Twitter update.
Wales Online (bringing in a tax expert) and the Birmingham Post – under its dedicated Live! Section – also host budget day liveblogs (using CiL again).
Good old online altruism eh? Twitter users have seized upon the opportunity to get their uncensored Tweets published on the Telegraph’s Budget page.
A Twitterfall feature – which now seems to have been removed – embedded on the side of the Telegraph.co.uk Budget 2009 page, picked up Tweets which referred to the UK Budget 2009.
Funnily enough, the Twitter masses seemed more interested in expressing opinions on the Telegraph’s editorial content, or saying hello to their mums, than adding to the economic debate.
@DarkPhnx perhaps sums it up best.
A sample from earlier below – we seem to have captured it at a cleaner moment. Or check out this grab from @Noodlepie.
UK regional titles will compete against nationals for this year’s electronic news site and best use of new media prizes at the 2009 Newspaper Awards, according to the full listings on HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk.
Websites for the Belfast Telegraph and Kent Messenger’s Kent Online will go head-head-head with BBC.co.uk, FT.com, Guardian.co.uk, Telegraph.co.uk and Times Online in the news site category.
Candidates for best use of new media include Exeter’s Express&Echo for Kellow’s Bootlaces, FT.com’s Alphaville and the Henley Standard website.
Also of note – the award dedicated to: ‘Most Significant Contribution to Future Newspaper Success’, for which the nominees are:
Elsewhere the International Newspaper Award is dominated by German representatives, with the Augsburger Allgemeine, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung and the Nordkurier all nominated.
The awards are run in cooperation with Fujifilm and the Production Journal celebrating the crème de la crème in newspaper and news media production. The winners will be announced at ceremony on April 22 in London Hilton.
Since I started using Twitter I’ve always been amazed (and grateful) at how quickly calls for technological help and assistance with ideas and projects are answered. It’s one of the main reasons I’m a fan of Twitter.
There are plenty of media/journalist Twitter databases out there, but below are the beginnings of a list of digital editors on Twitter.
What do I mean by digital editor? In this instance, a journalist working primarily online, on web projects or co-ordinating multimedia output. The web editor of a newspaper site or magazine site, for example. It’s in no particular order, except for being divided by ‘traditional’ industry sectors at the moment, but if this isn’t useful, just let us know – would be great to get more international representatives too.
But the criteria for inclusion on the list are intentionally loose – this is aimed at networking, problem-solving and idea sharing between journalists working in the same space and similar roles. (Feel free to nominate any additions or drop us a tweet @journalismnews)
UPDATE April 16 – please read blog post two on how to message the group via Twitter
Newspapers
Alison Gow (@alisongow) – executive editor, digital, Liverpool Daily Post & Liverpool Echo
Kevin Matthews (@kmatt) – head of web and data, Liverpool Daily Post
Neil MacDonald (@xxnapoleonsolo) – deputy head of web and data, Liverpool Daily Post
Jo Wadsworth (@jowadsworth) – web editor, Brighton Argus
Tom Pegg (@tomatthechad) – digital content manager, Mansfield Chad
James Goffin (@jamesgoffin) – regional web producer, Archant
Sarah Booker (@sarah_booker) – web editor, Worthing Herald
Gustav Svensson (@gustavsvensson) – web editor, entertainment and arts, Sydsvenskan.se
Stephen Emerson (@stephen_emerson) – deputy online editor, Scotsman.com
Sam Shepherd (@SamShepherd) – online journalist, Bournemouth Daily Echo
Joanna Geary (@timesjoanna) – web development editor, business, Times Online
Sarah Hartley (@foodiesarah) – head of online editorial, MEN Media
Iain Hepburn (@iainmhepburn) – online editor, DailyRecord.co.uk
Lucia Adams (@luciatimes) – web development editor, Times Online
Carmen Boles (@carmenb) – online news editor, Gazette.com
Marcus Warren (@MarcusWa) – editor, Telegraph.co.uk
Dan Owen (@danowen) – executive editor online, Trinity Mirror
Steve Nicholls (@steve_nicholls) – multimedia editor, Birmingham Post
Anna Jeys (@ajeys) – multimedia editor, Birmingham Mail
Steve Wollaston (@stevewollaston) – multimedia editor, BPM Media and Sunday Mercury
Julie Martin (@jules_27) – Teesside Evening Gazette
Helen Dalby (@helendalby) – regional multimedia manager, NCJ Media
Nick Turner (@nickincumbria) – head of digital content, CN Group
Christian Dunn (@christiandunn) – digital news editor, NWN Media
Hugh Dixon (@hugh_d) – web editor and production editor, thisisbath/Bath Chronicle
Paul Cockerton (@paulcockerton) – web editor, Lancashire Telegraph
Dan Owens (@hornetdan1979) – deputy news editor, Northampton Chronicle and Echo
Dan Kerins (@dankerins) – web journalist, Southern Daily Echo
Broadcast
Marsha Graham (@marshagoldcoast) – multimedia manager for 102.9FM Hot Tomato, Australia
Rob Winder (@robwinder) – news editor, Al Jazeera website, Washington DC
Tom Thorogood (@TomThorogood) – digital news editor, MTV
Magazines
Martin Stabe (@martinstabe) – online editor, Retail Week
Victoria Thompson (@VicThompson) – assistant online editor, Nursing Times
Neil Durham (@NeilDurham) – deputy editor, GP and Independent Nurse
John Robinson (@PulseToday) – digital content manager, Pulse Today
Peter Houston (@p_houston) – editorial director for Advanstar Communications, Europe
Alex Smith (@alexsmith68) – web editor, Building.co.uk
Keira Daley (@daleyrant) – web editor, Australian print magazine
Lara McNamee (@lovelylara33) – assistant intelligence editor, ICIS
Gabriel Fleming (@gabefleming) – online editor, Nursing Times
Janie Stamford (@janiestamford) – contract catering editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper
Robin Latchem (@lgcplus) – online editor, Local Government Chronicle
Keely Stocker (@keelystocker) – digital content manager, Drapers Online
Scott Matthewman (@scottm) – assistant manager, The Stage
Specialist website
Michael Hubbard (@michaelomh) – founder and music editor, MusicOmh
Krystal Sim (@krystalsim) – web editor for sustainability magazine BSD – bsdlive.co.uk
Arun Marsh (@ArunMarsh) – content producer/editor, Local Gov
Rick Waghorn (@MrRickWaghorn) – publisher, MyFootbalWriter
Emma Waddingham (@emmawad) online editor, Legal-Medical.co.uk
Michael McCarthy (@HealthGuide) online editor, LocalHealthGuide
Steve Gooding (@rmtimestech)- Romney Marsh Times
Manoj Solanki (@ManojSolanki) – SeekBroadband.com
Graham Holliday (@noodlepie) – digital editor, Frontline Club
Craig McGinty (@craigmcginty) – publisher, ThisFrenchLife
Mark Crail (@markcrail) – managing editor, XpertHR
Freelance
Adam Oxford (@adamoxford)
Rachel Colling (@rachcolling)
Ashanti Omkar (@ashantiomkar)
Further to our blog post on Friday about Telegraph.co.uk’s use of Twitterfall to aggregate tweets around live football match reports, the app is being used on the site’s Barack Obama page:
Appropriately enough a Twitter update from @BenLaMothe alerted Journalism.co.uk to an innovative new use of Twitter on Telegraph.co.uk’s sport pages.
After displaying Twitterfall, which can be set up to aggregate tweets containing multiple terms, on its big news screens, a stream of relevant Twitter updates are displayed in a widget on the right-hand side of the site’s live Premiership football match report pages.
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.
Ian Douglas, head of digital production at Telegraph.co.uk, explained to Journalism.co.uk that list of club names and key player names are currently being tracked, but if new trends or keywords emerge they can be quickly added.
Certain tweaks to avoid irrelevant updates have been made – #chelsea is being used as opposed to Chelsea to avoid tweets about nights on the Kings Road, for example.
The Telegraph wanted to trial Twitterfall on pages that have ‘a lot of activity and a lot of people talking’, said Douglas, but is being considered for other areas of the site and potentially topic pages. The appropriateness of the widget to a given page, because it updates so rapidly, must be taken into consideration, he added.
The title is happy to look outside of its own development team to third parties when necessary, said Douglas, with other recent collaborations including this interactive guide to new Formula One cars.
Interesting to see that Malcolm Coles’ recent blog post, which highlighted newspapers’ terms and conditions forbidding linking from their websites, has resulted in some action – outlined in the comments below the post.
Ian Douglas, head of digital production at Telegraph.co.uk says:
“Thanks for pointing this out. As you saw, we deleted it as soon as we heard about it. I’m afraid it say more about the relevance of Ts and Cs than the various papers’ attitude to linking.”
David Black, group director of digital publishing at Trinity Mirror, writes:
“Malcolm, Thanks for spotting this – it’s being fixed for Mirror.co.uk.”
Malcolm Coles has now followed up with another post – what other sites have these kinds of T&Cs banning links to their site? Full post at this link.