At the Broadcast Education Association convention in Las Vegas, there was no shortage of discussion about the impact of mobile devices on journalism. Journalism educators are revamping courses and curriculum to prepare students for jobs that will require them to use mobile devices and social media for gathering and producing news.
I presented on two topics: the use of Snapchat in journalism and digital-first story pitches.
Snapchat in Journalism
This presentation was based on my experience having students produce Snapchat stories while reporting in the field and on our takeover of NBC News’s Snapchat account during the South Carolina Republican Primary.
Digital-First Story Pitches
Digital-first no longer means website-first. Digital-first means sharing information on social media while reporting in the field, prior to publishing on an outlet’s website. I like to call it “share as you go.” My second talk focused on how to create a game plan for how you will use social media when reporting on a story. The plan should be part of every story pitch.