Data, Docs, Maps and … Text: The functional side(s) of new media Andrew Chavez Associate Director / Digital Initiatives Texas Center for Community Journalism New Media for the News Media Workshop March 11 to 13, 2009 at the TCU Schieffer School of Journalism

Docs “Never pick a fight with someone who buys pixels by the barrel.” — blogger Roy Jacobsen commenting online on “Rathergate”

Why to share Transparency More efficient story telling Provide varying levels of engagement Crowd sourcing

Things to share Meeting minutes Public presentations Budgets Police reports Court documents Restaurant menus to accompany reviews

How to share Read-only format ▫PDF ▫Image Editable format ▫Raw attachments ▫Google Docs

PrimoPDF Convert documents to PDFs for free $0 Price tag: Know how to upload files Have an address Skills needed

Zoomify Create zoomable, draggable images Good for blueprints, detailed drawings $0 Price tag: Basic image editing skills Skills needed

Zamzar Convert just about any file format to a more widely-used one $0 Price tag: Know how to upload files Know how to download an attachment Skills needed

Text (That stuff they used to pay us for)

Ways to share Long format ▫Traditional stories ▫Wikis Medium format ▫Traditional stories ▫Blogs Short form, quick hit ▫“Microblogs” ▫Live blogs Interactively ▫Chats ▫Discussions

Blogs Blogging is just a format ▫Not all blogs are diaries ▫Some bloggers are real journalists Don’t have to be staff written Can be written by a team Can be about anything, just pick a topic and stick with it Require time commitment Can allow you to repurpose other content, mooch off blogging platform’s features Content can be repurposed into print content

Types of blog setups HostedLocal Someone else deals with bandwidth, maintenance costs Heavy lifting (tech stuff) is done elsewhere Normally free Won’t integrate with site as well Might not host your ads More customizable Requires more technical knowledge Can be costly Better integrated with rest of site Will host your advertising

Blogger Easy-to-use blog platform Provides RSS feeds, forwarding of posts Better search-engine placement than homegrown solutions $0 Price tag: Basic Web skills Skills needed

Live blogs, discussion Provide up-t0-the-minute information Can be a companion to another medium Put users at the site Localize national events live Allow local people to interact together on a national event Make experts, guests available to take questions Could also be done by (with a delay)

CoverItLive Hosts live blogging and discussions Easy to embed Can remind your users about upcoming events Can integrate with Twitter $0 Price tag: Know how to embed code Skills needed

Maps

Potential maps Routes of easy day trips Locations of best area photo ops Parade routes Opposing high schools’ gyms and how to get there Best area barbeque Show city council district boundaries

UMapper Drag and drop to create maps them embed them on your site $0 Price tag: Basic Web skills Know how to embed code Skills needed

Data Making un-useful stuff useful “Database [dey-tuh-beys] -verb: to transform pieces of information that are useful for a moment into a network of information that is useful forever.” — a sign hanging in the Pegasus News newsroom

Data … every story has it We know how to get it It will eventually accumulate un-unsed It can generate lots of page views People can give their data to a lot of other people

Google Docs Allows easy manipulation of data Lets users collaborate Keeps users coming back instead of downloading once $0 Price tag: Know how to embed code Know how to upload files Skills needed

Map a List Lets you create maps from your Google Docs spreadsheets $0 Price tag: Know how to embed code Know how to use Google Docs Skills needed