Innovation in Focus
Innovation in Focus is a series exploring new tech, tools and methods of storytelling for journalism. We interview experts, test ideas and provide our findings with templates, guidance and how-tos so you can implement the same innovations in your newsroom.
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Whether you’re a one-man band or a large metro, this series will help you take the next step in innovative journalism.
Email the editor: lytle@rjionline.org
Tools for remote podcasting
Roshae Hemmings reports on Zencastr, SquadCast and Spreaker Studios.
Make your newsroom’s social media more accessible
Focusing on accessibility is a great way for newsrooms to make content available to a larger audience. The content will be more easily consumed when you put in the effort to make it accessible to everyone.
Augmented video editing: Tips and tricks
For Innovation in Focus this month, we partnered with mid-Missouri’s NBC affiliate KOMU-TV 8 to incorporate augmented video editing, combining animation with video footage, into a news piece.
Descript, overdub: Q&A with Tamar Charney
Innovation in Focus is a series exploring emerging technology and methods of storytelling for newsrooms worldwide. We interview experts, test tools and provide our findings on a different topic each month. For Innovation in Focus this month I spoke with Tamar Charney, managing director for personalization and curation at NPR, about the ethics of redubbing, … Continued
Descript video: Tips and tricks
Innovation in Focus is a series exploring emerging technology and methods of storytelling for newsrooms worldwide. We interview experts, test tools and provide our findings on a different topic each month. This month I tested Descript’s new video editing software to create this video about a local maker and his business. Here are five tips … Continued
Narrated article: Tips and tricks
This month for Innovation in Focus, we tested various tools and platforms to provide narration for articles to make them more accessible to people with disabilities. Here are a few tips from our experiments with these tools. 1. Pace yourself Listening to information is a different experience from reading it. You want to speak at … Continued
Narrated article: Winter tips to stay safe and warm
This month for Innovation in Focus we tested various tools and platforms to provide narration for articles to make them more accessible. Listen to this article narrated: https://soundcloud.com/pili-swanson/narrated-article Here are some tips to staying healthy, safe and warm this winter season as the temperatures begin to drop. The CDC has COVID-19 tips for holiday gatherings, … Continued
Instagram Reels: Q&A with Anthony Quintano
For Innovation in Focus this month I experimented with Instagram Reels and spoke with social media manager Anthony Quintano about Instagram Reels and how it compares to TikTok so far. He is currently a manager of visual storytelling and has trained journalists on how to use social media since 2010 at NBC, Recode and Honolulu Civil Beat. … Continued
Instagram Reels: Tips and tricks
Here are five tips for creating Instagram Reels. 1. Know where to post the Reel In order for the posts to get viewed by your followers you must post the Reel to your feed as well as posting it to Reels. There is also the option to post a Reel to your story, but then the reel … Continued
Instagram Reels: Historic homes
Next week: Our tips and tricks for making your own reels! Sara Dingmann is a University of Missouri journalism student and innovation lab student staff member.