Digital First Journos:How we think and work

Steve ButtryUniversity of Texas-Arlington Shorthorn

August 15, 2012#utashorthorn

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Digital-first journos think …1. Story is a process, not a product2. Like to be first, but link when we’re not3. Community = collaborators4. When we hear great quote or learn

interesting fact, think, “I better tweet that.”

5. More excited by RTs, likes, shares, pins & links than by front-page play

Digital-first journalists …6. Obstacles = war stories, not excuses7. New gadget or social platform = tool

for better journalism8. When news breaks, thinks of terms to

search for on Twitter9. Journalism future is bright & boundless10. Defies prediction (& lists), thinks of

new ideas, issues & solutions

Digital-first culture• Experimental• Willing to risk and learn from failure• Accountable (correct & acknowledge

errors)• Always on the learning curve• Seeking & trying new tools & techniques

• Accuracy• Truth• Attribution• Transparency• Identification• Fairness• Community

• Watchdog role• First Amendment• Timeliness &

reflection• Civility & respect• Diversity• Skepticism

Digital-first values

Digital-first values• Accuracy, verification• Transparency

Working Digital First• Create content for digital platforms (web,

email, SMS, social, mobile)• Produce print & broadcast products from

content on digital platforms• Live coverage of events• Breaking news coverage• Engage community

Beat reporter• Beatblog• Liveblog meetings, events• Tweet/alert/liveblog breaking news• Live chat on continuing stories• Data visualization• Curate community conversation

Beat reporter questions• How to crowdsource story?• What terms, hashtags should you search

(routinely & for each story)?• Regular/special hashtags to use?• People to follow? New FB pages/groups?• Other social media to search (YouTube,

Flickr, Foursquare, Google+ …)?

Gathering news on the beat• Video• Links• Databases• Monitor officials, agencies, sources on

Twitter, Facebook, G+, YouTube, etc.• Source documents to upload• Map, timeline

Editors• Monitor social media as well as wires,

scanners, etc.• Staff questions guide digital journalism

(data, Twitter search, hashtags, crowdsourcing)

• Urgency for breaking news, live coverage• Edit digital content for print

Editors• Listen, join & lead community

conversation (blog, social media, chats)• Lead staff in trying new tools &

techniques• Digital focus to daily meetings• Post daily news budgets online

Copy editor• Social & Google searches to question &

verify facts• Writes strong SEO headlines• Crowdsources print headlines, news

judgments

Read more about it• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• slideshare.net/stevebuttry• @stevebuttry• jxpaton.wordpress.com• stephenbuttry@gmail.com