RJI news
Why send a newsletter at all?
E-newsletters have become a primary engagement, dissemination and revenue-generating tool for modern newsrooms. With benefits ranging from reader loyalty to audience insights to new revenue, it’s easy to see why. What’s harder to see is the “why not,” though it’s equally important. Email used to be a method for filtering the internet. Far from the … Continued
The rise of messaging is undeniable, and it’s not just text
Mobile messaging was born in December 1992 with a simple SMS: “Merry Christmas.” Today it’s the most ubiquitous form of human communication short of speaking. Any of the 6 billion of us with a phone can do it. And with the advent of apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Line, WeChat and Telegram, messaging is … Continued
Newsrooms test social media strategies to forge relationships with audiences
When it comes to social media strategy, it’s not enough for journalists to “be where the audience is” anymore. At least half of U.S. adults get news from social media, yet less than 12 percent of those who do, trust the information they get there. Journalists can’t simply occupy social media spaces; they need to … Continued
FL#176: NowThis innovations: Chatbots and Facebook Live
NowThis has been a pioneer in delivering video news exclusively on social platforms, and it grew quickly thanks to an ability to find new ways to reach young audiences. Now the company is pushing forward with technologies like chatbots and Facebook Live. Reporting by Hailey Godburn For more information: NowThis did away with publishing content … Continued
Extreme rain: New research predicts wetter, riskier storms for much of U.S.
In the news Extreme rains are expected to increase significantly across nearly the entire continental United States, according to a government study that provides a highly detailed picture of wetter storms to come with climate change. Back story Researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research said in the Dec. 5 study that extreme precipitation … Continued
How do you connect disconnected people to the internet and digital news? There’ll be an app for that
My cousin lives in Cuba. He is one of the lucky 250,000 Cubans (out of 11.2 million) who connects to the internet every day. To connect, he first purchases an access card from ETECSA, the state-owned telecommunication company, at 2 CUC per hour of internet (10 percent of the average salary for a Cuban citizen). … Continued
FL#175: Shortcut from This American Life
Sharing audio with a new tool called Shortcut A new tool called Shortcut from This American Life allows listeners to share clips from episodes of This American Life. Users can select text from episode transcripts, which the app turns into short videos that can be downloaded or posted to social media. Reporting by Hailey Godburn … Continued
Peter Arnett: Saving the AP Saigon bureau archives
Read War stories: How Peter Arnett’s efforts to save Saigon articles inspire today’s preservation efforts PETER ARNETT: [00:04] When, a few months ago, Ed invited me to join this conference, I immediately accepted because information gathering in the field and access to research materials, particularly historical data, had been an integral part of my 50-year … Continued
Heard mentality: Here’s how to boost women’s voices in news comment sections
Marie Tessier, lead moderator of reader comment to The New York Times opinion pages, wants women to be heard as much as men in the commenting sections of news sites. She spent a year as the project leader of an institutional fellowship at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute exploring how to raise women’s voices … Continued
FL#174: Mobile news app Discors
Discors Mobile app Discors is a news aggregator that licenses content from premium, often subscription-based, news organizations. The app pairs news stories with analysis, commentary and insights. Reporting by Jon Doty For more information: The Discors app is available on iOS and Android platforms. The newsreader and background information features are free. To access the … Continued