NDM news stories

How live video on Periscope helped 'get inside' the Syrian refugees story

Bild reporter Paul Ronzheimer travelled across Europe live-streaming interviews. His broadcasts often focused on individual refugees, with several reappearing regularly to talk about their experience. Ronzheimer says that the unedited nature of the live broadcasts was an important factor. He adds that he feels he was able to get “inside the story” in a way that would have been tougher with a camera crew. Indeed, at points in the journey, they would not have been allowed to film. “Everybody has smartphones now, so with my small iPhone camera I was able to film without it being obvious that I was media,” he says – referring to border authorities, as the refugees he was travelling with were fully aware of his work.

This article shows how user generated content has become a medium where people can report where a whole camera crew isn't available. This also shows how citizen journalism allows people to witness and see news that aren't reported by big institutions. Also, with the USG, it makes the story of the refugees more raw and realistic. 

Life before smartphones: share your memories

Photographer Eric Pickersgill’s series shows people without their phones and tablets resulting in phantom-like portraits of adults and children staring at their hands. Their ‘lifelines’ lost as their connection with the world is severed. If you have any stories or images of what it was like before smartphones, we’d like to hear from you.

hat are your memories of life before smartphones? Did you have more face-to-face conversations? How do you think life differed between then and now? Do you think people are happier now? What has been lost - if anything? The online world is literally at our fingertips - emails are a mere swipe away and videos are accessible with a touch. 

This article really shows how technology has become such an important aspect of peoples lives. The questions posed in this article really expose how the standard of communication as well as life style has changed with the development of technology. This shows how people are connected online but in reality people have grown to disconnect. 

Newspapers: The effect of online technology

1) Do you agree with James Murdoch that the BBC should not be allowed to provide free news online? Why? I do agree to a certain extent that the BBC shouldn't be allowed to provide free news online because it makes audiences so used to accessing news for free that institutions that charge for their content aren't getting an audience because they know that they're able to access high quality news for free. However, the BBC operate on a different way as oppose to other institutions because they are funded predominantly by the revenue generated by the television license and are a public service broadcaster. This therefore means that they don't make a profit. 

2) Read this blog on the Times paywall three years on.

3) Was Rupert Murdoch right to put his news content (The Times, The Sun) behind a paywall?Yes, this is because it allows for a stable revenue from loyal audiences and reduces the dependence of adverts to generate revenue. Also through the pay wall, it gains a renewable revenue from its digital audience where beforehand, they had none.
  
4) Choose two comments from below the Times paywall article - one that argues in favour of the paywall and one that argues against. Copy a quote from each and explain which YOU agree with and why.

 'building a solid brick wall around the site - was foolhardy, because how are readers supposed to get a taste in the first place?'

I agree that putting up a paywall would restrict new readers who just want to try their service which would decrease the possible investors in the site. I think that a more suitable method should include a one month free-trial. 

5) Read this article from the Media Briefing on the continuing decline of the newspaper industry. 

6) Why do you think the Evening Standard has bucked the trend and increased circulation and profit in the last two years?

I think the Evening standard has increased trend and circulation because of the method of distributing. The Evening Standard became a free morning paper which was distributed from Monday-Friday at London stations. By being distributed in the morning, it makes it available to commuters travelling to work. Also being available from Monday to Friday, it allows it be embedded in people's daily routine which therefore increases the trend as well as circulation.

7) Is there any hope for the newspaper industry or will it eventually die out? Provide a detailed response to this question explaining and justifying your opinion.

I think that the newspaper dying out is inevitable. This is because the advances and the rise of technology will make buying newspapers a thing of the past. With the convenience that digital news provides, it allows anyone with an internet connection to access the latest breaking news. With this availability that digital news provides users, newspapers have no way of keeping up and will be left reporting yesterday's news. Although buying newspapers have its benefits, the convenience and accessibility that digital news provides makes accessing news though online services much more practical. 

The future of the newspaper

Summary

This article in essence talks about the newspaper industry falling apart. It further explains how newspapers are trying to stay afloat amongst the lack of revenue that they're making. In the eyes of advertisers, newspapers aren't profitable which would further cripple the newspapers as another mode of revenue is slowly going away. This article also talks about how losing the newspapers wouldn't be as grave as people think. The use of internet would compensate and that information would be available in a more accessible and convenient way. 

What I think

In my opinion, I agree totally agree with the statement that the newspaper industry dying out isn't something to panic over. Although many jobs would be lost and many businesses will fail, the benefit that digital news provides users would compensate for the loss of the newspaper. However, with the newspaper industry in decline it would mean that the standard of news and journalism would fall because of the lack of revenue these companies are generating. 

NDM stories

Ad blockers are wreaking havoc with the online revenue of newspaper


The ad blockers of this world are destructive forces, undermining the revenue base of so much news coverage. On the one hand, the bad times are rolling for news on screens. Ad blocking is knocking a hole in revenue streams – billions of dollars lost globally, according to the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, which reckons that 48% of American digital ad cash is at risk already. 



I definitely think that the popularisation of this ad blocking software is very harmful for online businesses. This software would be detrimental for businesses which rely on adverts to generate revenue because with this development, those who want to invest to advertise on certain sites would see that it would be a futile investment which would force certain online sites to change the way that they generate revenue. 

BBC sees danger of losing young viewers distracted by devices

The BBC is worrying less about competition from over-the-top (OTT) streaming-video service like Netflix, and more about the danger of losing the attention of young viewers distracted by their devices, according to director of audiences, Nick North. The BBC is determined to use its audience research to serve younger consumers wherever they are watching – a strategy that extends to its development of iPlayer and YouTube preferences for Radio 1.



In my opinion, speaking from being a 'younger viewer', we choose what to watch for content whether it may be Netflix, Youtube or iPlayer. But never the less, a sense of accessibility and convenience is regarded. So for BBC to develop its on demand services like Youtube and iPlayer, I think it is essential for them to do so in order to stay relevant. Streaming services like Netflix are popular amongst the youth because it offers a range of titles and content all on one service. So if the BBC match the range and versatility of their content, they will be strong competitors. 

Build the Wall analysis

1.Newspapers and reading news digital offer different experiences as they are both different in ways that some negative and some positive.

2.The section discusses how the newspapers are getting more vulnerable because of the enhancements in digital media.

3.The newspaper industry are ignoring the threat of the increase in people using internet and other reasons for the decline in the industry.

4.In the last section of the article David talks about the risk of newspapers moving behind a pay wall

5.In this article, David Simmons discusses his views regarding the way the news industry has developed and changed over the years. He begins by discussing what the newspapers that are seen to be leaders and pathfinders in the industry have, and why audiences are so willing to pay for them. He then raises awareness the fact that it is the professional journalism that is being paid for. He also mentions how initially new and digital media wasn't seen as a threat to the newspaper industry until the consequences that the improvements in new and digital media has caused therefore making it a tougher problem to resolve. In conclusion he then discusses three different scenarios, one that is beneficial to all, one where the the industry itself only survives through unique institutions and one where there is a complete balance.


6)In my opinion, it is inevitable that newspapers will put their content behind paywall because of the lack of revenue that they are generating through sales. In order for newspapers to stay relevant amongst this day and age they will have to make their content digital. With their content being behind a paywall, readers that admire certain newspaper's standard of journalism would subscribe to their content. Personally I wouldn't pay for news online because sites such as BBC news offer quality news online for free. Also, the mobile apps such as BBC and Skynews offer news that is live to the second as well being available on the go. 

Feedback

Feedback

WWW - You show very good focus on the question. I think technically this would be a D but that is only due to lack of examples/case study that we haven't studied yet.

EBI - You certainly need a wider variety of current examples - why use 1992 election when you're in 2015?!
I'd like a lot more on the idea audiences are not empowered and that institutions still hold power/influence.

Learner Response - It is definitely plausible to argue that with the advances in new and digital media audiences are not empowered but institutions hold the power. With the advances in new and digital media, audiences are given the platform to express their own views and opinions. However, thinking about Pareto's Theory, do audience's opinions and views actually get recognition? As audiences have online routines, institutions can still be argued to hold power and influence. This is because it is in the audience's routine to visit their website to get in with the latest opinions and news thus meaning that the audience's views aren't recognised. This therefore shows that although audiences are given the platform to voice their opinion and view, which can be interpreted as being empowered, the fact that audiences would still go to the big institutions for opinions and views, it expresses that the institutions still hold power and influence.

Audience&institutions

Blog task: Audience and Institution

1) Read this extract from the Ofcom 2014 report on the consumption of news in the UK. What are the key statistics relating to the influence of new and digital media? 

• In the UK (95%) say they follow the news. 
• 75% of UK adults saying they use TV as a source of news; 
• those who use any internet or apps for news, 41% doing so this year
• Between the ages of 16-34, the use of internet or apps for news has increased from 44% in 2013 to 60% in 2014
• 28% named BBC as the single most important news source.  
• Increase in the number of people stating a website/app as their most important news source (21% in 2014 vs. 14% in 2013).
• Almost half (45%) of 16-24s say their most important news source is a website/app, up 15 percentage points since 2013 (30%). 
• Each adult watched an average of 115 hours of national and international news on television  in 2013
• The majority of this (64%) was on BBC One or BBC Two and a further 12% on the BBC News channel.  
• 16-24 year olds consumed only 27 hours of news on television in the same period, 
• For those aged 55 and over they consume 196 hours .

2) Come up with an example of an institution that has benefited from the changes new and digital media has brought to the news industry. Explain how new technology has helped the institution and try to find statistics or financial figures that support your point.

An example of an institution that has benefited from the advances in new and digital media is the Sky. This is as they are an institution that has adapted very well to the changes, developing a website as well as an app. Through these developments, it has allowed the institution to remain relevant in and amongst the changes in digital media. This therefore results in Sky generating more revenue as they will remain competitive within the developments in digital media. Furthering this, as 60% of users accessing news via app and website are 16-24's it shows how the demographic of this institution's audience has widened because of the developments thus meaning that through the changes in digital media, the institution has crafted a wider audience.       

3) Find an example of an institution that has suffered as a result of the changes new and digital media has brought to the news industry. In what way has it had a negative impact? Again, try and find actual statistics or financial figures to explain your point.

An example of an institution that has suffered because of the changes in new and digital media is the daily telegraph. This institution is suffering because of the lack of sales they are making with their newspapers. This is because audiences are given a range of platforms to access the news such as, the internet, television and mobile apps. These alternative ways audiences can access news are more convenient for audiences therefore leading to the daily telegraph, who generate majority of their revenue through sales of newspapers, to suffer. 

4) Answer the following question in a mini-essay on your blog:

Who has benefited most from the changes new and digital media have had on the news industry - audiences or institutions?

There is no doubt that both the audiences and the institutions have benefited most from the changes in new and digital media however, the latter have arguably benefited more from these changes. 

The way in which the institutions have benefited from changes in new and digital media is that it opens and unlocks an audience where they wouldn't usually attract with traditional means of media. These are audiences aged 16-24. With news institutions such as The Guardian and the BBC providing their content online, it makes news more relevant as it available online. With this availability, the younger audience would more likely consume their service as majority of online users are between the ages of 16-24. Without this development in digital media, the BBC and The Guardian wouldn't have been able to provide their content online. This would limit their demographic leaving out the younger generation as, means of traditional media just aren't consumed by the younger generation. The developments in digital media therefore benefits institutions through widening their demographic.

On the contrary, a stronger argument would be that in fact audience are the ones who benefit more rather than the institutions. This is as through the developments in the media, audiences are able to access news on the go with such convenience. The developments of mobile applications allow audiences to get the latest news on the go. This means that audiences are constantly updated with the news from around the world. This benefits the audience because they are able to update themselves on the go and not to have to watch the television bulletin or buy a news paper in order to get the latest news. In addition to this, it allows audiences to access news live, this is done through the developments in online streaming. This means that audiences can get updates live to the second. With the developments of mobile applications, it also allows audiences to customise the news that is priority to them. This means that with the touch of the screen, audiences are able to get the latest news that they want.

News stories.

Netflix knows what episodes what episodes get you hooked on a series

The streaming service Netflix has analysed viewer data from 16 countries to find out at what point in several hit programmes someone is 70% likely to finish at least the first series of a show. 

The data in this research was pulled from accounts who started watching season one of the selected series between January 2015 and July 2015 in Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK and US and between April 2015 and July 2015 for Australia and New Zealand. A hooked episode was defined when 70% of viewers who watched that episode went on to complete season one. Hooked episodes were first identified by country, then averaged to create the global hooked episode. The hooked episode had no correlation to total viewership numbers or attrition. 

This study shows how the way in which people watch television is shifting to streaming. The fact that audiences are watching tv series' on demand shows how watching television is becoming something that was done in the past.

Mark Zuckerberg calls for universal internet access to combat poverty

Calling for efforts to ensure internet access for everyone globally by 2020, Mr Zuckerberg said internet connections are a dynamic tool for sharing knowledge, creating opportunities, lifting communities out of poverty and promoting peace. The connectivity campaign calls on governments, businesses and innovators to bring the internet to the some 4 billion people who now do not have access, organisers said.

• 4 billion people still don't have access to the internet 

With Mark Zuckerberg and the 193 UN Members trying to provide internet for those who still don't have access, it shows how the internet and these developments in technology are becoming our way of live and is a necessity in the world that we live in.