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
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.
Kapwing: Tips and tricks
This month I tested Kapwing Studio, a free online editing tool where users can make videos and GIFs with original news content for social platforms. Overall, my experience with Kapwing was positive. I set out to utilize Kapwing’s tools to create factual guide videos for Missouri voters for RJI’s social feeds. I experimented with various features … Continued
Lean into using your phone: Q&A with Sarah Singer
Sarah Singer is the senior director of innovation at Vice. I spoke to her about how Vice cultivates its presence and engagement across social platforms.
Going virtual: Tips for a rewarding remote summer internship
Replicating the everyday office interaction Since you no longer have the everyday opportunities for casual communication with your coworkers, building those relationships can be quite the challenge. Every type of communication must be self-initiated and might exist on different platforms depending on who you are aiming to work with. Slack, email, project management software, Zoom. In … Continued
Interactive video: Day-in-the-life of frontline worker and their family
Thousands of medical workers have traveled to various parts of the country to aid COVID-19 patients. We asked one family of five to share what their typical day has been like during the pandemic, for the essential worker and her loved ones left behind at home. Visit the interactive video by clicking on the image … Continued
La Voz de Chatham
During my RJI innovation fellowship at the Chatham News + Record this summer, I worked on a variety of audience engagement-related projects. One of the efforts that particularly excited me was a project made possible by a Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 Local News Relief Grant, which the News + Record received right before the start … Continued
Creating a voice in podcasting
Podcasts create an audience connection by connecting your community with a voice from your newsroom. This can diversify your audience’s experience through audio accessibility which gives you the opportunity to reach new parts of your community. One of The Washington Post’s most popular podcasts is “Can He Do That?” It discusses the powers and limitations of the President, and how … Continued
Q&A: Behind the AP News app with Dave Clark
Tatyana Monnay is the RJI Student Innovation Fellow at the Associated Press. This summer our student fellows will be sharing dispatches from their fellowships in newsrooms across the country for Innovation in Focus. Dave Clark is a mobile editor for the Associated Press. We spoke with him about the work that goes into the language choices and editing for … Continued