By Lekan Otufodunrin
How to 'google' your journalism
Tolu Ogunlesi, Pharmacist turned journalist, writer, poet and photographer once asked how my generation practiced journalism without google.
His question was informed by the new tools which Google and other technology companies now offer which makes it easier to research and distribute information globally.
My answer was we did with the facilities we had. After all like the saying, what you don't know and probably what you don't have cannot harm you.
However with the rate at which technology is changing the way journalism is practiced worldwide, traditional journalists cannot continue to ignore new media tools.
One of the realities of remaining a contemporary journalist in a new media age is to master the use of various new tools developed by technology companies to enhance the practice of the profession.
Google recently unveiled its NewsLab as part of its continuing efforts to provide new work tools for both professional and citizen journalists.
Research: Develop your story using Google's research tools
Report: Enhance your story using Google's visualization tools
Distribute: Circulate your story through Google's distribution tools
Optimization: Improve engagement using Google's analytic tools
The products include
Google Search: Research with precision. Simple tools and tips to help you get better results, faster.
Google Maps: Show where stories happen by building interactive maps.
Google play: Circulate stories on our global mobile newsstand.
You Tube: Own your channel to share your videos globally
Google Public Data Explorer: Access a world of data and create high-quality visuals.
Google Earth pro: See the entire world from wherever you are via satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D building and more.
Google Alert: Stay in the know on breaking stories that are important to you.
Google Consumer Surveys: Gather data from real people by creating your own web surveys.
Google Translate: Speak the language just about anywhere you go.
Google Permission: Learn proper usage and citations for Google products.
Blogger: Have a blog to share information and earn money.
Beyond having a gmail account for sending and receiving mails alone and doing general search on google, there is more we all have to learn about how to become a multi-media journalist.
The time to 'Google' your journalism is now, tomorrow may be too late.
Thanks for reading and sharing this edition with colleagues. I welcome your feedback on your experience using Google tools.
If you have specific questions on media career development related issues , feel free to contact me. Telephone: 08023000621, 08050498530:
Email: info@mediacareerng.org : Twitter: @lotufodunrin: Skype:
lekanskype: website : mediacareerng.org
No comments:
Post a Comment