Reflection

Recontextualisation of news stories has long been a common practice (Erdal, 2009, p. 184; Alysen, 2012, p. 27). Therefore, before commencing the unit, I had an understanding that a single story could be ‘refashioned’ (Erdal, 2009, p. 180) to suit different contexts such as radio, print and television. However, this understanding was developed without due consideration of the role social media plays, and the new multi platform approach adopted by news sites when addressing events.

 

Employing multiple platforms to tell a single story adds an unprecedented depth to the news. In what would previously have required, as a minimum, a feature length print article, by using multi platform storytelling methods (such as video packages to supplement print news articles), journalists are able to effectively communicate the significance of events in less time. So long as the video package adds value to the print news article (Erdal, 2009, p.185; Bolin, 2010, p. 73), audiences are able to quickly engage with a number of resources to develop a broader understanding of unfolding news.

 

Prior to commencing this unit, although I was aware that this approach is used by journalists, I did not understand the intricacies of this approach to communication. The third assessment for this unit was particularly useful in testing my practical understanding of its intricacies. Attempting to derive ‘something more’ (Erdal, 2009, p. 185) from my initial understanding of the Rally Against the US-Australian Military Alliance was a rewarding challenge. Whilst, admittedly, my initial approach to the task resulted in limitations to what I could achieve in my efforts to tell the story over multiple platforms, the challenge in doing so deepened my understanding of the approach that a seasoned journalist would take to the task of multi platform storytelling. In ‘refashioning’ (Erdal, 2009, p. 180) the story from a number of different angles, to suit different platforms, the journalist is able to anticipate and address some of the questions which may arise in the minds of audiences. As I attempted to do this, I thought that audiences may like to know more about the US-Australian military alliance, and the relative power of those opposed to it. Having the option to communicate this through multiple platforms – print news and Facebook Live streaming – added a depth that I may not have been able to previously create. Whilst there were flaws in my Facebook Live stream, in that it was purely a snippet of the event with no ‘on camera’ explanation of what was happening, I was still able to see the value in using such tools to elaborate on news stories (Bolin, 2010, p. 73).

 

The value of social media in multi platform storytelling was further brought to my attention in the analysis of different media outlets’ coverage of the arrest of Cassie Sainsbury. Whilst similar news stories in the past may have received some media attention, it is likely that they faded from the public conscience within a few days, unless further developments occurred. However, with the assistance social media, news outlets were able to examine the arrest over a number of weeks, providing re-examinations of Cassie Sainsbury’s personal history. Facebook in particular provided the opportunity for news outlets to present themselves as fully informed and up to date on the matter by live streaming developments – such as the return of Cassie Sainsbury’s family from Colombia. By live streaming, with the ability for audiences to submit comments and reactions as the event unfolds, an unprecedented dimension of audience involvement is achieved (Alysen, 2012, p.6).

 

The tasks throughout this unit have deepened my understanding of the manner in which one story can be told via multiple media platforms, so as to broaden audience’s understanding of the news events.

 

 

Reference List:

Alysen, B. (2012). The electronic reporter (3rd ed.). Sydney, Australia: University of NSW Press.

 

Bolin, G. (2010). Digitisation, multiplatform texts, and audience reception. Popular communication, 8(1), 72-83. doi: 10.1080/15405700903502353

 

Erdal, I. (2009). Repurposing of content in multi-platform news production. Journalism practice, 3(2), 178-195. doi: 10.1080/17512780802681223

Analysis Task Three (Week Eleven)

Magazine – Lawyers Weekly

Although Lawyers Weekly magazine already has a website, it would benefit greatly from an update. The current layout of the Lawyers Weekly website is arguably confusing, with little distinction between the numerous categories set out on the home page. A further issue is that the articles on the site are separated into fourteen categories (all listed in the menu bar at the top of the page), with vague names such as ‘deals’, ‘subs’, ‘moves’ and ‘folklaw’. The menu bar could further be improved by removing ‘about’, ‘advertise’ and ‘contact’ from the menu bar at the top of the page, as the readers of the magazine are unlikely to need quick and easy access to those options, and would likely prefer a clearer, more accessible menu bar.

To determine what improvements should be made to the Lawyers Weekly website, two key categories of magazine website were considered: women’s magazine websites; and financial magazine websites.

Women’s Weekly and Women’s Health Magazine were both considered under the first class of magazine websites. As women’s magazines remain popular, they represent a strong example of the materials that audiences enjoy engaging with. Both had very clear menu panels at the top of the page, with four to five options to choose from – relating to very clear categories (namely, ‘Health, Fitness, Dance Yourself Fit’ and ‘Health, News, Parenting, Reinvention, Women of the Future’ respectively). Both sites also minimised the word count in article titles, with large pictures, and substantial space between stories. Consequently, audiences can easily identify articles that interest them, and move through the categories of content.

The Economist and the Australian Financial Review were considered under the second class of magazine websites. Being more intellectually based, these magazine websites more closely represent the audience of Lawyers Weekly. Here, there was a greater divergence in the layout of the websites. Although both sites attempted to keep substantial spacing between articles, the Financial Review had significantly more words per section than the previous sites considered. As opposed to having a heading paired with a photo, the Financial Review had a full sentence by-line underneath each heading, in addition to a photo. The Financial Review also had a number of categories (ten) in its menu bar at the top of the page, however they directly corresponded to the sort of categories that would be expected within the magazine. The Economist’s layout was very similar to the magazine websites from the previous class; there were three items in the menu at the top of the page, and the photos with a short heading acted as links to the articles.

To improve the Lawyers Weekly website, it is proposed that the menu bar be amended so as to read ‘News, Opinion, Education’ with subcategories under each to correspond to the remaining items in the current heading. It is essential that the website facilitate access to expert opinion pieces (under ‘Opinion’), analysis of the issues impacting on law firms (under ‘News’), events impacting on the legal profession (under ‘News’), technology reports (under ‘Education’) and training reports (under ‘Education) – as this is the content covered by the hard copy of the magazine. It is further proposed that the design be amended so that links to articles are contained in photos with short headings, that have been categorised as previously outlined.

 

 

Analysis Task Two (Week Five)

News Story – Cassie Sainsbury’s arrest for cocaine possession in Colombia

The Platform:

An exploration of the content produced by News.com.au and the Sydney Morning Herald, along with Facebook and Twitter, demonstrated that – where a story is controversial and lends itself to the creation of a narrative – news outlets can be prepared to return to feature length written news stories.

Both News.com.au and the Sydney Morning Herald paired one to two minute videos with a feature length piece on Cassie Sainsbury’s background and the allegations against her.

Facebook and Twitter showed that numerous news stories, mostly from Channel 7 and Channel 9, had been published about the details of the allegations, her personal life, and the upcoming television exposes where her family members would be interviewed. The most popular approach from news outlets was to post a photo with a quote or provocative question which acted as a link to a feature length article. However, news outlets also posted photos with short (250-350 words) articles providing an update on how the story has been unfolding. Chanel 7 chose to posted numerous videos – interviews and live footage – to create an idea that they have the most up-to-date news on Cassie Sainsbury’s arrest.

Learning from the Sites:

Although News.com.au and the Sydney Morning Herald featured more articles than would normally be published on a single event, it was the social media response which was particularly enlightening. Although the raw story contains dramatic elements, social media was employed to create hype and drama around the event, so that the story was subject to media attention for a number of weeks. Because of the dramatic elements to the story, journalists were able to publish feature length articles on the arrest, creating characters, exploring morality and playing on the public’s desire to keep up to date with soap operas. Social media played a significant role in perpetuating the relevance of the arrest; acting as a platform for ‘breaking news’ as the television networks delved deeper into Cassie Sainsbury’s past through interviews with family members and colleagues.

As with ordinary stories, however, the ability to add videos created greater depth. Audiences were able to develop a stronger understanding of Cassie Sainsbury’s context, and the impact of the arrest on her family.

Findings:

This story demonstrates that where a news event is controversial, the manner in which it is covered differs greatly from ordinary news. Although an ordinary story would receive a few hundred words’ attention – with a brief supplementary video – this story was the subject of numerous articles, live video coverage, interview based story packages, and two televised exposes (Sunday Night and 60 Minutes). This demonstrates the attitude of audiences towards news, which must be understood when attempting to effectively communicate with audiences.

Analysis Task One (Week Three)

Skynews.com.au provides a strong example of how news can be shared in a multimedia setting.

The Platform:

By exploring the website and its affiliated social media pages on Twitter and Facebook, it was evident that Sky News has a clear model for multimedia news storytelling. The skynews.com.au website itself provides clear, user-friendly access to the news. News stories are separated into categories under headings to optimise access to articles which particularly interest readers. Sky News separates its content into News, Business, Weather, Culture, Tech, Sport and Catch Up, with subheadings corresponding to each. These sections contain easily accessible articles which, in over half of the stored pieces, contain a mix of print and video news storytelling.

The Sky News Twitter page demonstrated how social media can be used to create intrigue around news stories. The Twitter page features a selection of either emotive photos or action shots which compel the reader to look further into the story. This is supplemented by the 140 character limitation, which prompts journalists to write intriguing and punchy by-lines.

The Sky News Facebook page connects readers to the Sky News television platform, with video snippets from live in the studio. This differs from other news sources, in that it doesn’t create a sense of the journalists being ‘on the ground’. To an extent, uploading videos of reports from live in the studio reinforces the traditional linear communication model previously practiced by Sky News as a television network. This could be perceived as a weakness amongst other audiences, however it is likely to suit a large portion of the current Sky News audience – being a platform available through a costly subscription service (Foxtel). It is possible that as more digital natives move into the Sky News target audience, there will be a stronger push for Facebook Live reporting. This would enable viewers to adopt an interactive model of communication, sending through their reactions and comments to the news outlet as the event unfolds.

Learning from the Site:

Skynews.com.au demonstrates the value of adding videos to print news stories. With the general industry pressure to cover a wider range of content in a shorter period, having the option to supplement written news with video helps to bring a human dimension to the stories. Being able to communicate the atmosphere around, and reaction to, certain news stories without having to write a feature length piece means that news which appeals to a variety of audiences can be covered; this is exemplified in the numerous categories and subcategories covered by Sky News.

Findings:

News websites feature stories with a low word count, which rely on images, atmospheric clips, sound bites and interviews to create the depth that would previously have required longer, perhaps feature length, articles. Skynews.com.au would likely appeal to time-poor audiences, as access to its content has been streamlined through clear categorisation and sub-categorisation. Whilst this type of news could be criticised for being closer to ‘infotainment’ than an in-depth analysis of events, it has been tailored to the demands of current news audiences.

WSBNews Twitter

Tweets by WSBNews_DCutler

WSBNews Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/danielle.cutler.1069

 

 

WSBNews YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYGXHmdyepltkyccUrOVdzQ

‘The Toll of War is Getting Louder’; Greens Senator Calls for Urgent Renegotiation of US-Australia Defence Alliance.

Senator Lee Rhiannon has called for an urgent renegotiation of the US-Australia Defence Alliance. At a Sydney rally called to protest the arrival of the United States’ Vice President Mike Pence, the Senator warned that Australia’s current relationship with the United States could harm the Australian public due to the current tensions in the Asia-Pacific.

“This is the time,” Senator Rhiannon urged. “The toll of war is getting louder. This is a very serious time.”

The US-Australian Defence Alliance was renegotiated in 2014, and again in 2015 to enable a rebalance of United States power in the Asia-Pacific region. The renegotiated alliance allowed for the rotational deployment of US Marine forces in Darwin, and US Air Force aircraft to various locations around Australia. In exchange for this, the Australian Defence Force has gained access to technology which could not have been developed domestically.

However, with growing tensions within the Asia-Pacific region, and a volatile United States Administration, commentators are urging the Turnbull Government to prioritise alternative defence strategies.  Such strategies include fostering nonthreatening multilateral regional engagement through a shift towards humanitarian and disaster response strategies.

Echoing these views, Senator Rhiannon called for a redistribution of defence funding – away from supporting the US-Australian military alliance – so that stronger humanitarian relief could be offered by the Australian Government. With this approach, it has been suggested, the Australian Government will foster goodwill – an undeniably crucial aspect to any defence strategy.

Activists Rally Against US-Australia Alliance Ahead of Vice President Pence’s Visit to Sydney

Proposed names for eleven new Blacktown City suburbs

Blacktown City Council has been criticised by locals for its approach to the creation of eleven new suburbs within the local government area. The Council commenced the public exhibition period for the shortlist of proposed new suburb names this April. However, residents affected by the proposed changes did not receive any written notice of the exhibition. Locals have also criticised the Council for the emphasis it has placed on colonial figures and former mayors in developing the suburb names, saying that these names do not acknowledge the residents’ diverse cultural backgrounds, a trait for which Blacktown City Council is known.