Mobile journalism: From your palm ... to the world

Mobile journalism:

From the palm of your hand ... to the world

Charlie Meyerson Bit.ly/Meyerson

linkedin.com/in/cmeyerson 708-TEQ-NEWS

Radio repor*ng then

Recorder (typically, casse4e, later MD or SD) + VoiceAct (or alligator clips)

+ Hunt for a phone that would unscrew

Radio repor*ng now

Radio repor:ng now: iPhone +

VC Audio Pro app

h4ps://itunes.apple.com/app/vc-‐audio-‐pro/id354608007?mt=8 (or search iTunes store)

TV repor*ng then

h4p://origin-‐www.nbc.com/saturday-‐night-‐live/video/weekend-‐update-‐segment-‐al-‐franken/n9674/

(Or so we thought, maybe.)

TV repor*ng now Ustream, Google Hangouts, others, make it possible to broadcast

live from anywhere you can get a phone signal:

h4p://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22713934

It’s possible. It’s being done now.

•  A team of radio reporters at FM News 101.1 covered Chicago live for a year, o_en with just an iPhone and -‐-‐ some*mes -‐-‐ a laptop:

•  All sound recorded with just an iPhone: h4p://soundcloud.com/meyerson/final-‐farewell-‐to-‐a-‐chicago

•  Live broadcasts, too – plugging the iPhone into a mult box.

h4p://www.ustream.tv/channel/meyerson

Google Voice: A great tool.

Create a free Google Voice account

Google.com/voice.

Before you pick your number, you can check to find one that spells something cool (like 708-‐MATH-‐JAR).

Create a free Google Voice account

Make sure you’re set to record calls. (Incoming calls only. Outgoing won’t work.)

– Click the gear icon and select Segngs. – Click the Calls tab. – Select “Off: Directly connects calls when phones are answered.”

– Select the checkbox next to Call Op*ons. –  (Changes are saved automa*cally.)

Things you can do with Google Voice •  Record incoming phone calls. (Note: Before recording, you must get your subject's

permission: "May I record this for possible use on the air and on the Internet?”) •  Press 4 to record, and 4 to stop.

•  When done, return to Google.com/voice, where you can download the file for edi*ng or email a link to the file (instead of the whole file as an annoying a4achment).

Things you can do with Google Voice

•  You can download Google Voice files and

use them as the substrate for a slideshow

or other visual presenta*on.

•  Or you can upload them (for free!) to

SoundCloud.com, and place the audio file in

your mul*media presenta*ons, or share it

through social media (Twi4er, Facebook).

What do you need to be a mobile journalist?

(Beyond, of course, the essen*al skills of knowing how to write, how speak, how to spot a good image, how to tell a story, how to be fair, and all the rest ... ?)

•  One smartphone. •  Really, that’s it.

•  But if you insist ...

Also helpful: •  XLR connec*ng cable to plug

into mult boxes, mics + longer XLR cable (so you can sit down).

•  Laptop (with op*onal cell card).

•  Bluetooth keyboard (for typing quickly on a smartphone).

•  External ba4ery for smartphone.

•  Connec*ng cables (USB) for faster connec*on between phone and laptop.

•  Case with branding on it.

Mobile journalism: From your palm ... to the world

Technology

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