A Quick Tour Of The New York Times’ Twitter Graveyard
BuzzFeed’s Charlie Warzel’ very unscientific exploration of New York Times editorial staff’s twitter accounts.
Apple iBeacons: what are they and what do they mean for retail?
The Guardian examines Apple iBeacons and how they could be used.
Google developing social media robot
Google patents social media helper that could post for us. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25033172
Web inventor in surveillance warning
Web inventor in surveillance warning http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25033577
Mobile is eating the world — Benedict Evans
It’s not clear what mobile will look like in five years time: “web, web apps, native apps, push notifications, deep links, OS integration… and much more to come”.
Mobile is eating the world, autumn 2013 edition — Benedict Evans.
How big data is changing the world
Bus stops tweeting and other things on the Internet. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23253949
ICT in developing countries: A cross-sectoral snapshot
Link and summary by Nandipha Nondzube
Taking a ‘snapshot’ though development of Information and
Communication Technology, platforms in relation to not for profit organisation in third world countries. This article tries to establish whether Information and communication technologies, are of aid to social issues, faced by different organisations in developing countries.
http://www.hec.unil.ch/aosterwa/Documents/InternetInEmergingMarkets/Publications/ISGLOB03.pdf
New Media technologies and Journalism Ethics in Zimbabwean
Link and summary by Robin Chaibva
The link to the following scholarly article on the ethical challenges faced by Zimbabwean journalists. The use of the new media technologies and their ethical use is also affected by the socio-political, economic and technological landscape in Zimbabwe. The journal article is a paper from the University of Venda.
Legal & Ethical Issues in Digital Media
Link and summary by Soraiya Shah
What is the role of social media platforms in monitoring what users say, upload and share online? Should companies like Twitter and Facebook ‘police’ their customers and where is the moral line drawn against that of free speech? Who’s responsibility is it when a tragedy stems from what is commonly called ‘cyber-bullying’ and are there really laws that can stymie this social phenomenon?
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/29/twitter-urged-responsible-online-abuse
The Lasting Impact of Digital Media on Civil Society
Link and summary by Yvonne Amukwaya
Civil society groups use the internet as a logistical tool for organization and communication. The Web affords them an information infrastructure independent of the state, one in which social movements can grow. Digital media and social networking also allows people to not only be consumers but reporters. Therefore now more than ever, these various platforms can strengthen and promote democracy. In this article, Philip Howard discusses the ways in which the new information technologies are profoundly reshaping political culture.
Wireless media for the marginalised
Link and summary by Amy van Wyk
Universities in the UK have joined in a combined effort towards developing a current wireless network for digital media libraries in villages across rural South Africa. The wireless infrastructure will be used to research and develop the effects of mobile phones, gearing most efforts towards media content for education, health, agriculture as well as other social welfare purposes.
Read more: http://www.dwrc.surrey.ac.uk/commgeneratedmedia.shtml
MEDIA ETHICS IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Link and summary by Sally Kumwenda
Digital media raises some ethical challenges for journalists and media practitioners. But what are these technological ethical issues raised for students, scholars and media practitioners? In addition, what do we understand by media ethics in the digital age? John V. Pavlic explains more on this.
Theorising Digital Storytelling for research & development
Link and summary by David Williams
This reading from Queensland University of Technology in Australia introduces a term we should know “Co-creative media”, a tool for describing the ways in which participatory media are facilitated by people and organizations, not just technology. As a result of this, the particular participatory media practice from which the concept of co-creative media emerges is ‘digital storytelling’.
Digital storytelling is a set of collaborative digital media production techniques that have been used to facilitate social participation. This is similar to participatory journalism in the sense that public citizens play an active role in the process of collecting, reporting and disseminating news and information. This paper looks at describing co-creative media, digital story-telling and its value in social media research.
#263Chat a platform for Zimbabwean Conversations
Link and summary by Robin Chaibva
Blogger, Nigel Mugamu started a hashtag on Twitter to talk about the grievances faced by Zimbabweans on Twitter “#263Chat”. Helping to inform Zimbabweans on Twitter about the economic, political and social issues in the country. It has resulted in live 263Chat round table events with key players in Zimbabwe. The following article is an article on his blog explaining what 263 Chat does
How to be ethical in social media
Link and summary by Dudu Luthuli
Social media is being used more and more by businesses. With this, there seems to be confusion about ethics surrounding one’s social presence. Do you have to have two separate Facebook accounts (one personal and one professional) in order to respect these unspoken online laws? This short article suggests a simple online etiquette that can help you remain as professional as possible online.
Read more here:
http://socialmediasydney.net.au/how-to-be-ethical-in-social-media/
Saving the world through social media
Link and summary by Dudu Luthuli
Not only is social media bringing on interesting ways to communicate with one another, but it is now being used to promote development projects across the world. Rwanda Health Minister uses Twitter as a platform to communicate with the people of Rwanda to find out what pleases them and what doesn’t, Read more here:
5 development projects using digital media
Link and summary by Lungisa Lusawana
Mobile phones have made internet access affordable and easy. This article lists 5 development projects that have tapped into digital media in order to link with citizens.
Technology, a culture where privacy is disrespected.
Link and summary by Lungisa Lusawana
Digital media has enabled journalists to bypass the old journalistic models of gathering information. With the right tools they can tap into places that were previously thought to be ethically out of bounds. This article is about the Bloomberg Uproar; reporters caught using company’s resources to access private information on clients.
Legal risks of online publishing
Link and summary by Madalitso Ziba.
An individual/companies can be sued for publishing someone?s private or personal information online without their permission. This applies even when the provided facts are accurate. Publishing information that harms the reputation of another person, group or an organization also makes internet users liable for defamation or false light.
http://www.dmlp.org/blog/2008/understanding-your-legal-risks-when-you-blog-or-publish-online
Transforming journalism … 140 characters at a time
Summary and link by Lwando Helesi
The advent of social media has spawned both opportunities and threats for the profession of journalism. The question that emerges, however, is where do journalists draw the line between using social networks for professional reporting and for personal capacities? Journalism ethics and guidelines need to be revisited.
http://www.rjr.ru.ac.za/rjrpdf/rjr_no29/Transforming_Journ.pdf
The Shifting Private-Public Axis and the Rejuvenation of Ethics
Link and summary by Nandipha Nondzube
“What interests the public and what is in the public interest”, journalist need to realize that there is a fine line between those two sentiments. Digital hacking and tapping into phones are some of the ethical issues bought on by digital media. This article deals with the lengths that newspapers will go in order ‘To Get That Story’.
http://www.rjr.ru.ac.za/rjrpdf/rjr_no31/The_Shifting_private-public_axis.pdf
Unavoidable Ethical Dilemmas for Digital Journalists
Link and summary by Wandisile Somdyala
Digital media has introduced a variety of new issues to the field of journalism. Ethical issues, with the advent of digital media now have different forms to which they take. Sally Lehram of the Markkula Centre for Applied Ethics in Santa Clara University captures some of the unavoidable Ethical Dilemma’s for digital journalists.
http://www.scu.edu/ethics-center/digital-journalism-ethics/unavoidable_dilemmas.cfm
Managing Risk, Reputation and Identity of Young Adults in a Social Media Environment
Link and summary by Nicole Swanepoel
A very interesting read indeed! This article highlights the issues surrounding young people’s social media etiquette and how, by tweeting the ‘wrong’ thing you could harm your reputation immensely. It provides practical suggestions for creating awareness of how to manage risk, reputation and identity in a socially networked society.
Read more…
Twitter Abuse Petition Attracts Over 30,000 Signatures
Link and summary by Buhle Nkonki
Should Twitter introduce a report button? It’s after 30,000 petitioned the site over a woman who says she was threatened with rape. Twitter is now compelled to take online abuse seriously and involve the police as well.
Measuring Non-Profit Newsroom Impact Easier Said Than Done
Link and summary by Buhle Nkonki
Beyond funding, journalists can use impact assessments to improve their ability to track their local communities. The need to improve editorially is most critical to investigative journalists as these journalists hope their work brings change in communities. Therefore newsroom assessment is important regardless of challenges faced.
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/08/measuring-newsroom-impact-is-easier-said-than-done
Convergence strategy ‘inevitable’ for South Africa’s Telkom
Link and summary by Dudu Luthuli
Although we have been looking at convergence in the media world, it is also important to have a look at where the future of SA lies in the telecommunications world. If Telkom sees the need to move to a more mobile strategy, especially via their 8ta service, this may be important for media companies to take note of. Read more here:
LinkedIn Vies for Teens’ Attention Against Facebook, Twitter | TIME.com
Will teenagers really adopt LinkedIn? They might if they want to go to college or university, or if they want to find work.
http://business.time.com/2013/08/20/move-over-facebook-linkedin-opens-its-doors-to-teenagers/
NSA loophole allows warrantless search for US citizens’ emails and phone calls
NSA loophole allows warrantless search for US citizens’ emails and phone calls
Why the Sale of the Washington Post Seems So Significant – Atlantic Mobile
What will Jeff Bezos do to the Washington Post? Why should we care?
KenyansForKenya
Summary and link by Soraiya Shah
In 2011 the United Nations, made a statement that said more than four million Kenyans are threatened by starvation in the region’s worst drought in 60 years. In response to this Kenya’s largest mobile operator, Safaricom, alongside other corporates and the public got together under the banner of ‘KenyansforKenya’.
The imitative was one of the most successful on a global scale with individuals and corporates able to donate as little as Ksh.1 or more to the fund via MPesa or via their banks…
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Kenyans+for+Kenya+fund+hits+Sh500m/-/1056/1214256/-/4x4wxnz/-/
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?id=2000039809&cid=4&articleID=2000039809
Digital media turns summer breaks to summer rebuilding
Link and summary by Moroa Mopeli
Instead of spending summer vacation watching television or hanging out with friends or being left out from summer vacation employment, students from California Central Valley were introduced to Linked Learning, a programme which uses web based monitoring to help High School students to prepare for tertiary education.
http://www.zerodivide.org/learning/blog/turning-summer-break-into-summer-rebuilding
ONLINE AND OFFLINE JOURNALISM AND ETHICS
Link and summary by Moroa Mopeli
There is a concern as to whether the ethics and principles which were developed to govern journalism are still relevant in this era when the journalism sphere is proliferated by bloggers, citizen journalists and social media. This therefore calls for provision of integrated ethics to guide online and offline journalism.
http://ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/resources/digital-media-ethics/
DIGITAL MEDIA IN DEVELOPMENT
Link and summary by Sally Kumwenda
Digital Media plays an important role in developing countries as it is used as a means to create awareness of social issues. It can also be used to drive pro-poor development agenda. It provides a platform for the marginalised to have an outlet from which their voices can be heard.
To find out more, go to:
http://www.gsdrc.org/go/topic-guides/communications-and-governance/media-development
‘Telling our own stories’: African women blogging for social change
Summary and link by Lwando Helesi
For years, feminists have long fought for representation and a voice in media. The blogosphere is giving women a platform to express their views and deliberate on matters close to heart. This article explores the usage and challenges of blogging by African women for social change.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13552070701630640
Content management and convergence needs to be carefully considered
Link and summary by Amy van Wyk
Cleeve Gibbon, a Chief Marketing Technology Officer at Cognifide in the United Kingdom speaks to the basics of content management in a media business. Such businesses should look at the production, the delivery and management of their content when disseminating such information to its audiences, he says.
http://www.clevegibbon.com/2013/07/content-management-back-to-basics/
Using Digital Technology to Aid in Education
Summary and Links by Mike Moodie
Digital technology platforms are reaching all corners of the earth. Whereas once tablets were seen as a gadget only for the rich, they are now being used by six year old children in classrooms in Thailand. This is one of many digital technology trends that is outlined in this article by the World Bank. I have added an additional article about the advantages of using tablets in the classroom as well as an Al Jazeera news report about how the technology is being used in Thailand.
Media Convergence and the Implications for Audiences, Institutions, and Journalism Education
Link and summary by Yvonne Amukwaya
The term ‘convergence’ is often used to describe the synergies between technology, media, and information that are changing societies worldwide. The Internet and broadband wireless devices have shifted control from news organizations to the receiver. This means that the power to decide what is seen, read, or heard is increasingly in the hands of the consumer. In this article, Jeffrey Wilkinson discusses the implications of convergence for journalists and the media.
Fighting for women’s rights via social media
Link and summary by Wandisile Somdyala
The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa understands the power of digital media, in this case social media. Thus, the initiative set out a five day training course to enrich women’s rights activists on the use of social media for effective advocacy. This is an example of the use of digital media to advance development studies.
http://www.osisa.org/media-and-ict/regional/fighting-womens-rights-social-media
Click farms create appearance of online popularity
How low-paid workers at ‘click farms’ create appearance of online popularity
How Convergence is Impacting Today’s Business Models
Summary and Link by Mike Moodie
In this podcast, the interviewer speaks to three industry leaders about how digital convergence is effecting their business models. She speaks to the Executive Vice President for Fox Filmed Entertainment, and two global convergence leaders from Price Waterhouse Cooper. They discuss what strategies companies are developing in order to embrace convergence as well as the value and benefits of the practice.
What is Media Convergence?
Link and summary by Tariro Mhiti
Currently there has been a huge debate as to the implications of Media Convergence for both media companies and the society at large. This article gives us a number of different views that specialists have towards the issue of Media Convergence. Issues such as media ownership and elitism in the media industry are raised within the article. It is up to us as future Media Leaders to capitalise on the opportunities offered by Media Convergence and also to find ways to reduce its negative effects.
How newrooms manage UGC in breaking news situations
Summary and link by Lwando Helesi
Mobile and social media have impacted on the roles of journalists in gathering news and reporting on events because of user-generated content (UGC) and companies need to be more critical of their roles. Planning and teamwork dominate the key elements needed for better newsroom management.
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/how-newsrooms-manage-ugc-in-breaking-news-situations/s2/a553185/
Experience TV the smart way
Link and summary by Bella Boqo
Convergence is driving innovation that emphasises interactivity and consumer satisfaction. Smart tv, internet and tv collide.
Who’s in charge of regulating the digital space?
Link and summary by Lungisa Lusawana
This article, based on Nigeria, talks about an issue that not only Nigeria is facing. With media convergence proposing the merger of different media platforms that were/are regulated by separate regulatory boards, who, then, will be in charge of regulating the digital space?
Convergence aimed at making user experience transition seamless
Link and summary by Moroa Mopeli
New Media is not meant to destroy traditional media but to complement it and to bring in new opportunities. For instance digital migration brings in a more efficient use of bandwidth. This calls for proper editorial structures to be put in place and consideration of work load for journalist for better end results.
http://www.slideshare.net/Tashieka/media-convergence-4019779
Repertoires of Media Use Across Platforms: Understanding Patterns of Audience Duplication Through Network Analysis
Link and summary by Okuhle Dotwana
New digital technologies have enabled media companies to explore various distribution channels and presented them with the opportunity to be creative with their content. This is good news and bad news for media companies. Now, they have to find ways to thrive in an environment where there are increased competitors (e.g. readers now have access to global newspapers as well, thanks to the Internet) and media consumers have shorter attention spans (e.g. when viewing a certain programme on YouTube, they can be distracted by other interesting videos in the sidebar, whereas when watching TV there aren’t as many distractions).
Exactly What Do We Mean By Media Convergence?
Link and summary by by Babalwa Nyembezi
This presentation gives a detailed outline of what is meant when we speak of media convergence and carries on to critique the convergence of newsrooms. Concerns such as editorial structures, deadlines and staff capacity due to media convergence are raised and addressed as well.
http://www.slideshare.net/IIvankovic/media-convergence-8882285
Approaches for Training a New Generation of Journalists
Link and summary by Buhle Nkonki
Two journalism professors call for the reshape of journalism education in order to match the current media landscape. Potential connections between journalism, mass communication and computer science programs are that they share a focus on how to display and communicate information even though differently.
Digital Media Management 