The last post I wrote about open lines of communication prompted a few comments (thanks all) including a well-reasoned argument from James Goffin that, sometimes, people just wanted the facts. Not interaction, not contribution, just... to know clearly and concisely what was going on. You can find more at his newspaper blog. And I started... Continue Reading →
Why are users leaving Plurk?
I signed up to Plurk, the quirky microblog that allows threaded conversations, shared photos, links and videos, more or less at its launch and I've been a staunch supporter ever since, despite the fact that it's a rather odd looking beast.But lately Plurk has gone into a decline, and now it seems as though it's... Continue Reading →
Reader, I banned him…
Sam Shepherd recently wrote a thought-provoking blog post on how the issue of readers' robust (but accurate and valid) views on online article.After all, the age of engagement and interactivity means a reporter can get fairly instant feedback, good and bad, on an article once it appears online, either via comments or forums.But sometimes the... Continue Reading →
Links and the marketing of Darren Farley
This video of Scouser Darren Farley running through his LFC impressions, filmed by a mate on a mobile phone, went up on YouTube on 10 October 2008...And within just 10 days this has happened...Today, searching Google, the man is all over the web; from fan sites and bloggers, to the Post & Echo websites, Sky... Continue Reading →
Why the deadline isn’t ‘Now’
I suspect most of us find it comforting to work to a deadline; it's satisfying to cross a mental finishing line and feel a job is completed. But a deadline is a also a mindset... and that's not the most useful thing for a journalist to possess right now.Dictionary.net has this to say about the... Continue Reading →
Fair comment
Finding intelligent, reasoned reader comments on newspapers' online sites can sometimes feel like a Snark hunt. I've noted my thoughts on why newspapers can fail to encourage a flourishing online forum community before, and had some interesting feedback both here and via Twitter and Plurk.Personally I don't believe newspapers forums will ever succeed unless time... Continue Reading →
Networks and Journalism
It's six months this week since I started spreading myself over the internet's social sites in an attempt to shift my analogue brain up a gear.I came home from a TM Leaders course last January shocked by my ignorance of Web 2.0 opportunities, and determined to do something about it. It started as a mild... Continue Reading →
Forums v Comment
I'm starting to think the Daily Post should reinstate the old 'have your say' option under our web articles.We used to have them but they were scrapped because posts had to be moderated before they could be uploaded manually.This meant sometimes comments posted on Saturday evening wouldn't appear online until Monday morning.So now we have... Continue Reading →
Alison Gow | Building the New 