Twitter coverage of the manhunt in Watertown marks a wake-up call to journalists everywhere. Even more remarkable are the implications for ordinary citizens who, without a press pass, intentionally plant themselves on the scene to witness and tweet what they see in real time. For the latter group of news gatherers, this event instills a newfound sense of power and responsibility in how they verify and disseminate news; i.e., gain credibility and authority as a news source. Read more
In a breaking news situation, journalists get an adrenaline rush. There is a palpable eagerness to get the scoop, to be the first to bring the story to the public. In today's world of social media, mobile phones, and real-time 24/7 news cycle, though, journalists face competition from all sides: eyewitness accounts, official sources, and even friends and family are sharing news before mainstream news institutions have "published" the official news story. Read more
The Nieman Foundation has selected three journalists as Visiting Fellows for the 2013 calendar year. Each will spend a period of time at Harvard University to work on a project designed to enhance journalism in some unique way. The 2013 visiting fellows are Hong Qu, a UX designer; Kate Smith, a lecturer in journalism at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland; and Daniel Eilemberg, the founder and editor-in-chief of Animal Político, a political website in Mexico. Read more
