BEA 2012 Ignite Presentation

1. Real-Time Reporting
DEB WENGER
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

2. Creating Deadline Pressure
 More than half of all the TV jobs posted by the Top
10 television news groups in the country referenced
the need for applicants to work under pressure and
tight deadlines

3. Real-Time Reporting
THE SPECS:
 Use mobile phones and apps (could use small
cameras and/or audio recorders)
 Audioboo
 Qik

4. Real-Time Reporting
THE SPECS:
 Create place to publish (could be a blog)
 Blogger

5. Real-Time Reporting
THE SPECS:
 Takes slightly more than one class period
 Describe pre-reporting assignment (Day 1: 5-10 min.)
 Real-Time Reporting Day (Day 2: Entire class period.)
 Post-assignment discussion (Day 3: 15-20 min.)

6. Pre-Reporting Prep
Instructor Students
 Select event occurring  Each student
during class time researches an
(Election Day, midterm individual story
week, health fair, etc.) element (where will
 Break down story newsmakers be during
elements into chunks class time, data for
of content for
individual research map, visual
assignments opportunities, etc.)

7. Research Assignment Sample
 No more than two students received the same
assignment

8. Pre-Reporting Prep
 Get promotion for your coverage – partner with a
media outlet, if possible

9. Real-Time Reporting Day
 Collect student research
 Assign teams

10. Why teams?
 More than 40% of all the TV jobs posted by the Top
10 television news groups in the country referenced
the need for applicants to work in teams
 Speed required
 Alleviates gear/vehicle issues

11. Add Twitter Component
 Require students to tweet FIVE significant updates
on the story

12. Real-Time Reporting Day
 Get them out the door!
 Works best in class of at least 75 minutes
 For those who miss deadline, determine penalty
(My students lost 10 points if late – 0 points if not
posted by the end of the day)

13. Real-time Reporting Day
 Production work back in classroom (or upload from
field)

14. Real-Time Reporting Day

15. Real-Time Reporting Day
 Can include multiple sections throughout a day-long
event

16. Reporting Day Follow Up
 Discuss the experience
 Review the stats

17. Reporting Day Follow Up
Discussion starters:
 What post or posts drove the most traffic?
 What do the incoming links tell us about where the
traffic came from? (The newspaper, Twitter, search
engines?)
 How could you use the data to determine follow up
stories for your news organization?

18. Student Comments
“For the first time, I felt like a real reporter.”
Blair Jackson, Sophomore
“It was easier to get a good interview for this story
because people were so passionate about their
opinions.”
Sara Giles, Sophomore
“Can we do this for every assignment?”
David Caldwell, Senior

19. My Observations
 Sense of energy, urgency and fun among the students
 Produced better work than usual -- every student
did something well
 Helped them understand the possibilities and the
benefits inherent in mobile news reporting
 Created that deadline pressure they will face in the
proverbial “real world”

20. Next Time?
 Use Blogger, not Wordpress (plays better with
Audioboo & Qik)
 Choose another story that develops over time