Meeting 11

This week my meeting took place with my editor Daniel Ionescu at Sparkhouse studios at 15:30pm on the 7th February.

This week we agreed on two ideas for me to follow up on, conclusively it was thought it was a quite news week but an improvement on January. It's during these quiet news periods like I mentioned in my other blog it's important to examine off-diary stories.

1. Linkfest- On Facebook I found a campaign which was promoting a music festival happening in Lincoln (http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100003356226950 ) again this is another off diary story because it's an 'unusual happening' and Chris Frost uses this as a definition of off-diary. Via Facebook I shall get in contact with the organisers. However I will ensure the interview if either done face to face or over the phone. As Pat Sharpe said on the subject of interviewing interviews via email or electronic communication can help to put across difficult questions but the fact interviewees have more time to consider their responses 'live' interviews generate more honest responses and physical contact could help put responses into context.

2. Turkey ducks- Around the Brayfood Pool area resides an strange breed of winged animals which in terms of physical appearance look like a cross between turkeys and ducks. To approach this story I will take photos of the animals and contact the River Care  (the body which does a lot of work around the Brayford pool area, their website- http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/AboutUs/ContactUs/Default.aspx), as Chris Frost says 'a good pictures makes a good story' and since the photos I took were quite close up and illustrate the subject of the story it should make it more digestible for readers.

This week my editor gave me quick crash course on expanding my multi-media pallet in the form of using my phones video camera function. We discussed how to use camera in situations. It was concluded I should go for a midway shot and work around any diversions and attempt to keep the camera steady. From the start of filming I should start from afar and come closer of any obstacles get in my way. An example of when I could have done this better would have been for when Top Gear visited Lincoln during the summer, in which I shot some footage on camera phone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_hCspYqhU0). Critiquing it I would say this camera angle was a little to wide I overused the zoom function and camera was unsteady and at times completely unfocused on the important parts of the frame. Though since it was exclusive and a media format no over outlet used it became a USP for The Lincolnite, all thanks to some quick thinking and resourcefulness.

This demand for more news outlets print and online to produce video based content was highlighted by the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/business/media/news-organizations-plunge-into-video-production.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all). Again the over saturation of media in today's world could be considered responsible for this need in using a secondary media format, as the articles says  'The Internet and a fleet of devices like the iPad have made it possible for, say, The Wall Street Journal to compete with CNBC and CNN for viewers’ time.' Though it could help support the print industry it could merely ensure the print product becomes a secondary and less important aspect of the organisations output.