Mobile Journalism: DOs and DONTs
Mobile journalism is the best and the worst thing to have happened in the 21st century. Best because it has provided a platform to the talented individuals with a knack for storytelling to work among people, for the people and be different than the agenda-setter mainstream media. Worst because its accessibility and ease-of-use make abuse of its power easy and widespread. But for those, who are genuinely interested in doing mobile journalism (by which I mean journalism solely on social media platforms even if you’re using a camera), there are some things you must keep in mind.
Now why am I the best person to talk about this? Mainly because I’ve been a student of journalism and I started doing journalism even before studying it. The knowledge I’ve gathered is an accumulation of theoretical and practical tips which I’m planning to sum up for every newbie so they can avoid rookie mistakes.
Do this:
1. Learn about the platform before starting:
Each social media platform is different, and so news-creation for them needs to be customised as well. Your target-viewer/reader might use different social media apps but their needs from all of them will be different. Some people prefer consuming news on facebook and entertainment on YouTube while others want bit-sized piece of information on their instagram feed. The mode of presenting news should be modified according to the platform.
2. What are you doing different?
It is good to learn from those who have made a name for themselves, but finding a unique voice, a unique style, a niche that hasn’t been covered, underreported stories will connect you with people despite their low attention span. People watch different news channels for different reasons. They follow multiple pages on social media platforms for different reasons. And it is better if they can identify you through your unique style of reporting. If you keep doing what others are doing, why would they watch/read you and not anyone else?
3. Adapt to situations and learn
Social media is also called new media, because unlike mainstream media, which has its distinct characteristics, it is still evolving. As a mobile journalist, you should have understanding of how to cover a news report in a particular situation. Keeping the ethics of journalism in mind, and not the popularity you might gain from something, decide whether an event should be covered LIVE or recorded for delayed broadcast. Sometimes, such instances are covered in LIVE video which invade an individual’s privacy, show only one side of the story (and end up defaming an individual or organisation), threaten public peace, show revolting images and sensitive content. Such reports should almost always be recorded, so it can be edited and modified to suit the sensitivity of the audience and uphold the integrity of journalism. Getting the version of a different party or blurring scenes, these can be done on a recorded video. But once a LIVE is done, the damage is done.
4. Know What is news and What is trash
Just because a video has potential to garner a lot of views, does not mean it is good journalism. A family fight or a personal vendetta never used to be part of news, but today it can be seen as a reportage on facebook/youtube. Read about the key components of any news piece and what constitutes as news. Consider whether the situation at hand fulfills the criteria and report only then.
5. In case of error or mistake, just accept it
Social media might seem easy to control but once things are blown out of proportion, it becomes impossible to control. As a rookie in mobile journalism, sometimes when a mistake is made, often deleting the content is considered the best solution, without offering any explanation. However, ethics command that in case of error on your part, you give clarification and if you’ve wronged someone, apologise.
DONT Do This!
1. Copy content
This is a frequent occurence for new mobile journalists. Unaware about the rules that govern social media, they often plagiarise written content, download news reports from other pages and upload it on their own page. The best suggestion I would give to new mobile journalists would be, don’t copy even a sentence, or use even 2 sec worth of video that does not belong to you. Strict copyright laws can get your page in trouble and your efforts will go down the drain. Focus on creating original content and in case of absolute necessity, get written permission to use feed.
2. Work on alternate days and disappear for weeks
For any work, consistency is key and in journalism, the work is 24x7. If you’re doing investigative reporting or comprehensive news reports, you can take time, but post regularly to stay in touch with your readers/viewers. Consistency is what keeps people connected with your work. If you report for a day and disappear for a week, or don’t report when your viewers are expecting, they’ll disassociate quick. Create a timeline that works for you and stick to it.
3. Expect miracles or get disheartened
If you don’t receive the kind of response you expected when you start, don’t get disheartened. Keep working, or change your strategy if you see something is not working right. Take suggestions from experienced journalists or people who are doing good in the field. But also, don’t expect to be an overnight star. In mobile journalism, patience is a virtue.
4. Forget the basics
Don’t forget to check your equipment before a report. Don’t forget to carry backups of everything. Don’t invest too much in the beginning before learning. Some people would invest in high-end cameras, top-notch microphones and latest model phones without understanding the actual requirements and without knowing the features they’d be using the most. Start from learning the basics and then move up.
5. Don’t do Yellow journalism.
Don’t sensationalise news for higher viewerships. Instead improve your language and vocabulary to improve your oratory skills. Don’t blackmail, threaten or pressurise someone for money or other favours. There couldn’t be a bigger stain on you than that in the journalism world. Don’t just read out press releases or give information without addinf analysis, any substantial addition to existing content.
There are a lot of other things one needs to keep in mind while doing mobile journalism, but these basics are a starting point. If you found this helpful, send me your feedback at alextheshadowgirl@gmail.com. And do let me know what other things you want me to write about.
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