Donald O'Mahony's Comm 361 class blog

Mobile journalism is beginning to revolutionize the way reporters work. When Christiano Ronaldo crashed his Ferrari, the reporter on the scene used her cell phone to take pictures that were used for the story. Thinking on her feet and using what was available to her made it possible to get the story out as soon as she could. This chapter is full of examples of how journalism is going mobile.

Christiano Ronaldo crashed his car while still in Manchester. He has since moved on to Madrid.

The right tool for mobile journalism is whatever you feel most comfortable with. It could be a laptop, smartphone, digital camera, audio recorder or any other device you are familiar with. It is important to make sure you can capture content and connect to the internet. If you can’t do both of those, then you will not be able to get the story out.

Take advantage of technology. Instead of carrying around ten different pieces of equipment, try to find some devices with multiples tools included. Also, be sure to test out new devices during free time before relying on them on the job.

There are two types or mobile journalists: A gearhead and a light packer. A gearhead carries around a laptop, camera, tripod, video camera, audio recorder and any other equipment they might need. A light packer is equipped with a smartphone that can access the internet, easily type information and take pictures and video. Any modern journalist should seriously consider a smartphone if they are looking for an advantage.

Some questions to consider when deciding whether mobile journalism is neccesary are:

• Will the audience benefit if we can take them there?
• Will the journalism be better if it’s done on location?
• Can this event be effectively communicated in small chunks over time?
• Will sound reporting or video footage, turned around quickly, help people understand the story?

After you make your decision, you are ready to go. Mobile journalism can be effective while covering many events, including:

• Breaking news
• Sporting events
• Public speeches or announcements
• Grand openings
• Public gatherings or protests

Journalists cannot be affraid of technology. There are so many ways to take advantage of technology to help make a story better for the reader. Any young journalist can gain an advantage by becoming more familiar with the many devices out there.

Blogging is great, but microblogging is an effective tool if you just want to make a quick point or comment. It is usually limited to 140 characters or less, which makes it popular because it is both easy to publish and consume. This chapter gives you the tools you need to be an effective microblogger.

Some popular microblogging sites are Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Status updates, quick announcements and small thoughts have made microblogging incredibly popular without people even realizing they were doing it at all. News outlets now use microblogging as a way to release breaking news before there is an opportunity to release a full story.

Rob Quigley, online editor of the Austin American-Statesman, gave these tips on the power of Twitter for journalism:

• Every tweet you send should have personality. Quality over quantity
• Ask for story tips from your followers. Pass them to reporters.
• Keep control over the account. Don’t turn the automatic feed back on.

Learning the basics of twitter is a necessity for a young journalist in this era. It is useful for growing a following as well as creating sources and story ideas.

• Post — 140 words or less
• Reply — put the @ symbol in front of the username of the person you are commenting on, or just click the arrow on their tweet
• Direct Message — click the direct  messages link and select the person you wish to contact. This is a way of keeping the message private.

After you get the basics down, it is time to start tweeting. Post about what you are reading, thinking and doing. You can also tweet questions or answers to other peoples questions. Make sure to follow what others are tweeting and make comments. This will help to build your following.

Twitter can also be used from many mobile phones. This makes it possible to tweet where ever you are instead of waiting to get to a computer. Many reporters are using smartphones to release breaking news on twitter while at news conferences, local sporting events and other events not covered on tv