Mobile journalism

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Mobile journalism is a form of multimedia newsgathering and storytelling that enables journalists to document, edit and share news using small, network connected devices like smartphones. [1]

Contents

Mobile journalists report in video, audio, photography, and graphics using apps on their portable devices.

Such reporters, sometimes known as mojos (for mobile journalist), are staff or freelance journalists who may use digital cameras and camcorders, laptop PCs, smartphones or tablet devices. A broadband wireless connection, satellite phone, or cellular network is then used to transmit the story and imagery for publication. [2] [3] [4] The term mojo has been in use since 2005, originating at the Fort Myers News-Press and then gaining popularity throughout the Gannett newspaper chain in the United States. [5]

Some key benefits of mobile journalism in comparison to conventional methods include affordability, portability, discretion, approachability, and the ease of access for beginners. [6]

History

The first instance of mobile journalism recorded is from wearable technology pioneer Steve Mann using a wearable camera he made on Feb. 2, 1995. Eastcampusfire glog crop.png
The first instance of mobile journalism recorded is from wearable technology pioneer Steve Mann using a wearable camera he made on Feb. 2, 1995.

One of the first instance of mobile journalism recorded is from wearable technology pioneer Steve Mann as a feature in a personal visual assistant that he designed, he identified himself as a roving reporter. [7]

In the beginning, he faced concerns from the press about privacy. He responded by writing on The Tech of MIT on July 24, 1996 a guest column "Wearcam Helps Address Privacy Issue". In the column, he stated that he was wearing his experimental eye glass to bring awareness to the huge and growing number of surveillance cameras that were watching over citizen's activities. He also stated in the article that he "exercises deference to others, " many of the photos he took were "architecture details, experiments in light and shade, posed shots done at the request of those in the picture". [8]

Every year, hundreds of mobile journalists attend mobile journalism conferences. One of these is MojoFest, which has been organized in association with RTE, the national public services broadcaster of Ireland.

Editors at AJ+, a digital outlet form Al Jazeera, use mobile journalists in their video news coverage. [9]

See also

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References

  1. Kunova, Marcela (21 December 2020). "Mobile Journalism". Textbook review. Journalism Co UK. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  2. Marymont, Kate (2 October 2007). "MoJo a Go-Go". Quill: 18–21. ISSN   0033-6475.
  3. Marymont, Kate (10 February 2006). "How They Did It: Fort Myers' "mojo" journalists search out news at the neighborhood level, identify community contributors". Gannett News Watch. Archived from the original on 21 April 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  4. Sidiropoulos; Vryzas; Vrysis; Avraam; Dimoulas (2019-07-04). "Growing Media Skills and Know-How in Situ: Technology-Enhanced Practices and Collaborative Support in Mobile News-Reporting". Education Sciences. 9 (3): 173. doi: 10.3390/educsci9030173 . ISSN   2227-7102.
  5. Martyn, Peter H (1 April 2009). "The Mojo in the Third Millennium: Is multimedia journalism affecting the news we see?". Journalism Practice. 3 (2): 196–215. doi:10.1080/17512780802681264. S2CID   142569754.
  6. Podger, Corinne. "Benefits of going 'mojo'". Mobile Journalism Manual: The Guide for Reporters and Newsrooms.
  7. "Joi Ito's Moblogging, Blogmapping and Moblogmapping related resources as of 1/18/2003 18:00". wearcam.org. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  8. "Wearcam Helps Address Privacy Issue - The Tech". tech.mit.edu. Retrieved 2018-08-03.
  9. "How AJ+ reported from Baltimore using only mobile phones". Poynter. May 2015. Retrieved 2018-09-03.