News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 25, 20141:23 am

News Gatherers, don’t violate ‘The Prime Directive’

There is a very good reason why in my book Responsible Reporting: Field Guide for Bloggers, Journalists, and Other Online News Gatherers that I identify The Prime Directive (yeah, like “Star Trek”): “Write what you know to be true in the moment”. Last night, one of my BetaNews colleagues violated this sacrosanct rule. I berated him privately, now publicly.

The story: “New Mozilla CEO is allegedly anti-gay marriage—Firefox developers boycott“. Had someone consulted me, the story wouldn’t have run (and the reporter did try to reach me). The problem is fundamentally one of sourcing. Four years ago, in post “The Difference between Blogging and Journalism“, I laid out the fundamental sourcing philosophy behind The Prime Directive. Excerpt:

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 24, 201411:29 am

Google News is Narcotic

Over the weekend, during our online chat, someone boasted about another writer taking top placement on Google News. “Once you start looking for Google News ranking you’ve lost your way”, I responded. “I never look. I don’t even look there for stories to read”. It’s true. Nearly three months into the year, I haven’t visited Google News even once.

As a resource for readers, the site can be useful. For writers, Google News is bad news. I know way too many bloggers or journalists who obsesses about placement there too much. They write stories and carefully craft headlines to get lift, knowing that top placement can bring tens of thousands pageviews in just a few hours.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 21, 201410:08 am

Good Headlines provoke Readers

Today at BetaNews, Brian Fagioli stirs up a hornet’s nest with story “Sorry Netflix, but you should pay ‘tolls’ to ISPs“. As I write, there are over 300 comments, in about 14 hours, and fierce debate and strong reaction among them. Funny thing: My January story “Sign me up for ‘Sponsored Data’” takes similar position—that ISPs shouldn’t give bandwidth gluttons like Netflix a free ride. I got 13 comments before they closed two weeks later.

My post focuses on a specific situation, an ISP program where services like Netflix pay and are rewarded. Brian also responds to a news trigger—Netflix CEO Reed Hastings’ commentary “Internet Tolls And The Case For Strong Net Neutrality“. Headline is one of the primary reasons Brian’s story soars, while mine fell to earth. Keywords that matter to readers—we don’t care about Google—are “ISPs”, “Netflix”, and “tolls”, which punch with commanding verb “should”.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 19, 201410:20 am

Wired smartly curates ‘A Startling Simple Theory’

Someone at Wired deserves credit (and bonus pay) for curated news journalism well-done. Story “A Startlingly Simple Theory About the Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet” is original content that provides fresh perspective about Flight 370. The tech news site plucks this gem from Google+, where aviator Chris Goodfellow posted five days earlier. Wired sources the original, acknowledging authorship and curation: “We’ve copyedited it with his permission”.

The Plus post shows social sharing’s strengths, where the interaction in comments extends the storytelling (as does the broader Reddit thread that captures Chris’ post and many others). It’s unfortunate Google+ limits comments to 500, cutting off the conversation.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 18, 20143:27 pm

Affirmatively Advocate Counterpoints

Earlier today I explained my recent “Chilling Chromebook” writing approach, which seemingly contradicts my more pro position taken throughout 2013. Simply stated: My stance seeks to counterbalance sudden media fan frenzy—bloggers and journalists relating the same points of view because they think it’s vogue. There is too much me-too enthusiasm, rather than real reporting.

The recent rah-rah rash of “Chromebook is better than sliced bread” blog posts and news stories represent two types of contextually-relevant journalisms: advocacy and mob. Both get considerable treatment in my new book Responsible Reporting: Field Guide for Bloggers, Journalists, and Other Online News Gatherers.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 18, 20142:15 pm

Chilling Chromebook

Over the weekend, I got email from developer Jeff Nelson with his blog response to my BetaNews story: “Chromebook belongs to computing’s past, not its future“. He is among a majority of responders who disagree with my assessments about the future of PCs depending on keyboard and mouse.

Today’s Android Wear platform announcement foreshadows exactly where computing is headed. For longer perspective, please see my book The Principles of Disruptive Design. But suffice to say that Google champions “Star Trek”-like computing, where you—by sight, sound, touch, and voice—are the user interface.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 17, 20148:06 pm

Kurt Sutter correctly calls Google a ‘Parasite’

As a content creator my feelings about Google are mixed. Philosophically, I believe in the openness of information and non-restrictive copyrights that let the producer profit from his or her good work in the present but benefit everyone later on. Last-Century revisions ruin the latter ethic. Life plus 70 years is a ridiculously long copyright that rapes the very concept of public domain.

Google’s business model enables free spread of information, which supports my other ethic. But there’s rot at the core—the free-content economy that search demands. As I explain in my new ebook Responsible Reporting: Field Guide for Bloggers, Journalists, and Other Online News Gatherers, “the search giant profits from your good work, reducing its value in the process”. Google produces no content, while its whole business model is about profiting from others’ content.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 16, 20143:01 pm

Pop Trial Balloons, Don’t Float Them

During Amazon’s fourth quarter 2013 earnings conference call, on Jan. 30, 2014, CFO Tom Szkutak said something surprising: “With the increased cost of fuel and transportation as well as the increased usage among Prime members we’re considering increasing the price of Prime between $20 to $40 in the U.S”. The retailer revealed the actual price increase three days ago, effective March 20.

That tip-off is excellent example about the ways companies float trial balloons and how the news media distributes them. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines trial balloon as “a project or scheme tentatively announced in order to test public opinion”. The Wikipedia definition, which “needs additional citations” fits with my own: “A trial balloon is information sent out to the media in order to observe the reaction of an audience”.

Events by Joe WilcoxMar 15, 20148:58 am

Get 'Comic-Con Heroes For Free Today

To celebrate San Diego Comic-Con tickets going on sale today, I offer my ebook Comic-Con Heroes: The Fans Who Make the Greatest Show on Earth free to the first 100 takers. Please go to Smashwords […]

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 12, 201411:36 am

Remember, Everybody Lies

Posting today, JR Raphael review “In depth: What Asus’s $179 Chromebox is actually like to use” is excellent cautionary tale in responsible reporting. Companies exert as much influence as they can get away with when interacting with product reviewers, who should always expect trickery.

The Chromebox supposedly ships with 2GB of RAM, which in my testing is really insufficient for Chrome OS. Users can make-do with so little, but many will want more. Asus gives where it shouldn’t.

Critters by Joe WilcoxMar 10, 201411:24 pm

Neko says…

Everyday is Caturday.

News Media by Joe WilcoxMar 9, 20147:19 pm

Vice News puts Perspective

If you’re not watching VICE News reports from Crimea (or Venezuela), it’s time to start. VN practices “immersive journalism”, which documentarian style makes you feel like you’re there with the reporter.