The Takeaway: What I learned from Poynter’s live chat, “What skills do journalists need to build online communities?”

On January 15, Poynter held a live chat  about the skills journalists need to build online communities. The chat featured Holly Edgell, community editor for WCPO in Cincinnati. To kick off the chat, Poynter’s Joe Grimm asked Edgell to describe her role as community editor.

Part of Edgell’s role includes looking at how WCPO can cover hyperlocal stories and communities. Even though it’s not officially part of her job description, another one of Edgell’s duties includes working on how to unify the digital and traditionally broadcast minds in the newsroom.

Here are a couple of tips I took from the chat:

Success is multi-platform. 

When it comes to getting audiences engaged and interested in online content, I’ve often wondered which platform matters the most.  Are retweets better than shares on Facebook? Which comments are more important: the comments on the stories posted on a news organization’s Facebook page or the  comments on the stories posted on the news org’s website? Which one of these is the best: retweets, shares, or likes? Should those in charge of online engagement make sure most of the activity is happening on an org’s website instead of its social media channels?

Edgell summed up how to measure engagement success in one sentence:

When cultivating an online community, success isn’t limited to just one platform. Comments, likes, and retweets are all measures of engagement. Every time users perform one of those actions, they are doing more than just clicking on a story.

Which leads me to the next point…

Engagement means more than just pushing out a story on different platforms and measuring the response. 

Engagement has become a popular buzzword over the last couple years. So popular, in fact, that Poynter’s Matt Thompson wrote that the word  “engagement” was dangerously close to being in an area he coined  buzzwurgatory – a period when a buzzword has been overused to the point of meaninglessness, yet continues to be used.

Thompson challenged journalists and content creators to use the word “engagement” more carefully in 2013,  suggesting that journalists should stop thinking of engagement as just exposing more content to different audiences and instead think of engagement as “deepening our users’ involvement in the creation and furtherance of our work.” 

Deepening user involvement can definitely be applied to using social media. Journalists responsible for engaging audiences online usually work with at least two social media platforms. Even though social media certainly makes facilitating engagement easier, simply having social media platforms doesn’t  automatically guarantee engagement. It’s up to web journalists like community editors to figure out how to best use social media to drive engagement, particularly on the local level.

“The social media universe is evolving ahead of journalists all the time, ” said Edgell during the chat. People want to connect around meaningful content, which is where we come in.”

Part of being a good community editor means recognizing what stories inspire the most engagement. Good community editors recognize what stories can “sell” themselves and what stories need to be “pushed” or marketed to inspire engagement. On Facebook pages, breaking news stories typically sell themselves. Users tend to ask questions about emergency situations or comment on controversial events. However, some stories inspire more engagement when posted with a question. When WCPO posted a story about McDonald’s adding Fish-McBites to its menu, the post included the question “Will you be trying this new side item?”  In fact, the majority of the posts on WCPO’s Facebook Page end in questions, and most of the posts have at least two comments.

In November of last year, NPR Digital services released a study and held a webinar showcasing the 9 types of local news stories that cause engagement on Facebook. After geotargeting content from five NPR member stations, NPR noticed a trend: their Facebook followers were eager to engage with and share local content. The nine types of stories that inspired the most engagement were:

  • place explainers
  • crowd pleasers
  • curiosity explainers
  • news explainers
  • major breaking news
  • feel-good smilers
  • topical buzzers
  • provocative controversies
  • awe-inspiring visuals

In addition to posting the kinds of stories listed above,  community editors can take engagement a step further by asking audiences to provide content to share on  their news org’s website and social media platforms. This user-generated content (UGC) inspires users to actively participate in gathering content for a story.

WCPO frequently uses UGC on its page. On January 21, followers submitted videos of a fatal highway crash involving more than 70 vehicles.  The week before, the station posted pictures from followers of sunsets around  Cincinnati .

Community editors can also curate photographs from followers on Pinterest (by the way, “curate” was another buzzword Thompson wrote about as overused). WCPO pins viewer pictures to Pinterest boards. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC)  recruits its Pinterest followers to pin recipes, travel pictures, and even funny commentary to different boards. Since news organizations are using UGC more frequently, The Associated Press Stylebook has even updated its guidelines on using UGC, including how to attribute and verify the content.

Edgell also touched on another useful engagement strategy for local news: conversational Twitter accounts. When asked about WCPO’s approach to replying to Twitter mentions, she responded that all news organizations need to eventually start engaging their followers instead of just using Twitter as an output-only platform to deliver content.

More local news organizations are using their Twitter accounts to respond to questions and news tips. Both the AJC and Rhode Island’s WPRI have two different Twitter accounts: one for news with commentary and responses, and the other exclusively for headlines. AJC  has achieved a true balance of using humour to deliver soft stories while still delivering breaking news. The AJC Twitter account answers  questions and makes jokes. During the night hours, the AJC  is known for entertaining, even playfully calling a few Twitter followers by the pet name “boo” .

News orgs that use their social media platforms interactively show they are listening to their audience and  know the issues their audience cares about. They also enable their readers and viewers to share their opinions on local issues that affect them, or show their pride in their communities.

While conversational Twitter handles can cultivate  engagement on local levels,  interactive Twitter accounts may not be as feasible for national and international news organizations who focus mainly on putting out daily content, alerts, and updates. However, hosting Twitter chats and creating hashtags for stories can help both national and international news organizations engage their audiences and involve them in discussion. On January 23, The Associated Press launched its series “The Great Reset”,  which examines the economic downturn and the effect it has had on the American job market.  The next day, AP hosted a Twitter chat  with journalists Bernard Condon and Paul Wiseman. During the chat, users could ask questions about technology taking over traditionally  minimun wage jobs using the hashtag #TheGreatReset.

To find a method of social media engagement that works, news organizations may have to test and try out different strategies, which leads me to a final point Edgell made during the chat.

Study… study… and study some more. 

Edgell gave a tip that particularly resonated with me: one of the best ways to learn about social media and engagement is to study it.

I constantly compile new material about social media, including reading articles from sites such as  Mashable, PBS Media Shift, and Social Media Today.  On Pinterest, I have two boards full of articles and infographics devoted to social media and SEO. My bookmarks bar is also full of reads and webinars I’ve flagged about social media strategy for journalism from Poynter and IJnet. In fact, my goal this month is to migrate all of those articles to a board on Pinterest devoted to journalism resources (in case you haven’t noticed, I enjoy using Pinterest as a filing system).

I also enjoy both sharing and learning new social media tips during Twitter chats. Three of my favorites are #muckedUp, #wjchat, and Digital First Media’s #DFMchat.

Digital First Media’s Project  Thunderdome recently did a live chat with The Wall Street Journal‘s Liz Heron where she talked about the future of social media in newsrooms, including forseeing the possible rise of a new digital position: Facebook SEO experts.

In addition to studying, one of the best ways to learn about the rapidly changing world of social and digital media engagement  is to write about it. I’m still on the waiting list for  Facebook’s new graph search feature, but in the mean time,  I compiled a list of resources for journalists on how to use the new tool. When Frontline  released its interactive documentary, Targeting the Electorate, I learned a lot about how marketers and political campaigns use social media activity to target information to users. I broke down my interactive results and explained them in a blog post .

All in all, social media engagement is a learned activity. Resources are plentiful and every social media activity is an exercise in skill building. For a quick summary of the chat, check out Joe Grimm’s five points:

You can also replay the entire chat at Poynter.org.

Facebook Graph Search: Resources for Journalists

Photo Credit: Business Insider

Photo Credit: Business Insider

On January 15, Facebook rolled out its newest feature: graph search.  Currently in beta, the new tool will allow users to finally utilize all of the info floating around Facebook -the tagged photos, the check-ins, the liked pages- by streamlining that info in a revolutionary approach to search. If you missed the media frenzy about the grand unveiling, Mashable immortalized the launch event on its live blog.

Facebook’s current search pretty much limits Facebook users to search for people, places, and things.  With graph search, Facebook users can add context to search terms to find more specific results. For example, type “restaurants in Atlanta” into the white bar at the top of your Facebook profile, and the results will include a list of Facebook pages of restaurants in the city. With graph search, Facebook users  will be able to  type  “seafood restaurants in Atlanta my friends have been to”  and the results will include Facebook friends who like certain seafood restaurant pages, friends’ check-ins at seafood restaurants, and possibly even Facebook statuses about seafood restaurants. Molly McHugh of Digital Trends calls graph search “the realization of social search”.

Facebook’s new search feature sounds good for finding which college friends studied abroad in South Africa in 2009, but journalists can also use the super savvy search features for newsgathering.

Vadim Lavrusik, Facebook’s journalism program manager, described the useful features of graph search on the Facebook + Journalists page:

“This new tool will make it easier for  journalists to discover potential sources and public photos around stories you’re reporting.

 It will also make it easier to learn about places and interests that are not only tied to friends but also public figures and pages”

The early version of graph search focuses on four main areas: photos, people, places, and interests. Lavrusik also writes that the tool will also make it easier for  journalists to do 3 things:

1) Perform richer searches when trying to find an expert for a story or trying to connect with other journalists.

2) Find public photos within a specific location or topic.

3) Conduct searches based on other people’s interests

Nieman Lab also compiled a mashup of articles  about Facebook’s new feature, including a Search Engine Land article describing the difference between  Facebook’s graph search and Google search.  Google might be Facebook’s biggest competition, but Facebook search isn’t necessarily better than Google search. Rather, graph search is a new type of search that can’t be performed on Google or any other type of search engine. Search Engine Land’s Danny Sullivan writes ” with Facebook’s graph search, the objects we search for aren’t web pages but instead virtual representations of real world objects: people, places, and things.”

Wired delves father into the dramatic difference between Google search and Facebook graph search, explaining that graph search works better the more specific and complex the request. With Google,  users typically experience success by using broad queries and few keywords. With graph search, the more complicated the query, the more specific and complex the result.

In a blog post last week,  Muck Rack outlined suggestions on how journalists can prepare to use graph search. In addition to joining the waiting list (remember, graph search is in beta and the early bird gets the worm)  tips include activating  Facebook subscribe and double checking Facebook’s privacy settings.

Updated January 28, 12: 17

Exploring “Targeting the Electorate” Frontline’s newest digital interactive

Last week, Frontline launched  “Big Money 2012″ , a transmedia election project in collaboration with PBS Newshour  and  American Public Media’s Marketplace.  Andrew Golis, Frontline’s director of digital, describes the project as a  “huge multipart, multiplatform effort to investigate and explain the way raising and spending money to influence elections is changing in this election cycle.”

One of the project’s features includes “Targeting the Electorate” an online interactive tool that allows users to see how political campaigns are using digital media to target them. After answering a series of questions, users can watch a short documentary  based on their answers.

I took the entire interactive a few days ago, and learned some pretty interesting facts. Here’s a breakdown of my results ( not including my political affiliation) combined with a little  background research of my own.

Question: Do you use social networks?

My Answer: Regularly

This election is truly the first social media election, with both candidates taking advantage of platforms such as Reddit and Twitter to reach voters. PBS Newshour’s Hari Sreenivasan talked to Ashley Bryant, the Ohio State Digital Director for the Obama campaign, to find out how social media plays a pivotal role in targeting potential voters.

Bryant says digital platforms have evolved since 2008.  Now, not only  can the Obama campaign target perspective voters, but  digital users can also  target friends and family that need a “specific type of messaging”.

Long story short: when you engage in political activity on Facebook, whether you’re using the campaign Facebook page to visit a website or watch a video, you’re not just a user. The campaign is also using you as a possible remote digital recruiter.

“We’re targeting some of your Facebook friends that we feel are the most persuadable,” says Bryant.  They’re going to be the first ones that pop up for you to share a message to or send something to through some of the apps that we’re working with.”

By now, you’re most likely familiar with Facebook applications asking for permission to post on your timeline and broadcast your activity. The Facebook page for the Obama campaign app works the same way.  Visit the Obama 2012 App Center,  and you’ll have the options to “Visit Site” or “Send to Mobile”.  Click on either button, and a screen pops up asking for permission to post future activity:

Note the tagline telling you why you should accept:

“From Obama 2012: Accept these permissions so we can show you Facebook friends to share this content with – help us spread the word and win this thing!”

Just like Bryant said, the Obama campaign wants you to help spread the message.

Of course, using Facebook users as potential recruiters isn’t exclusive to the Obama campaign. You can use the “Commit to Mitt”  app to share your campaign support on Facebook:

The Facebook page for the “Stand with Mitt” app also has an option for users to invite their friends to “like” the page and message them on behalf of the campaign.

Question: What is your primary home phone?

My Answer: Cell Phone

In this video, Sreenivasan interviewed Zac Moffat, Digital Director of the Romney campaign.  According to Moffat, “off the grid” people like myself are those who live life “on demand”.  People who fall into this category are those who  frequently watch Hulu, no longer watch live TV,  and live off smartphones.

Moffat says the Romney campaign is really looking to target the kinds of people who don’t have landlines, particularly in states like Ohio. The goal: make sure  people are still getting campaign messages, even if they’re not receiving campaign calls on a landline.

“We make sure our advertising takes that into consideration and provides them with a product we feel they’d be most receptive to hearing.”

Question: Do you allow web cookies? 

My Answer:  Yes 

John Aristotle Phillips, CEO of voter data firm Aristotle, says  web cookies travel with  internet users, even when they visit  non-political  sites.

“You’ll notice if you go to any political websites of the parties, that even after you leave the website, you’ll be targeted with political ads that have an eerie  resemblance to the website you visited, in terms of your political interests. And that’s not an accident.”

Question: How do you watch TV?

My Answer: Mostly DVR and Web 

In this video,  technology strategist Andrew Rasiej compared 20th century political ad campaigns to the ads running today.

“In the 20th century if there was a political  ad running in the same household, the husband and wife would see the same ad,” says Rasiej.

Today, thanks to digital media, political campaigns can target ads to different people who live in the same house. To explain the strategy, Rasiej gave an example of two undecided voters living in the same household: a husband leaning towards voting for Romney and his wife  learning towards Obama.

“When they both go online at the same time, even when they’re both using the same wi-fi connection in their house for their two iPads, they both will see completely different ads, even if they’re reading the same website.  [That’s] Because the candidates and the campaigns and the parties have figured out what the chances are that they’re talking to you based on your interests  and targeting that  message just to you.”

Question: How old are you?

My Answer: 25- 34

Sasha Issenberg , journalist and author of  The Victory Lab, explained how political campaigns use the data from voter registration cards. Using your address, campaigns can make guesses about demographics based on where you live. These demographics then allow campaigns to make further guesses about your socioeconomic status, your education level,  and race and ethnicity. 

“What’s changed particularly in the last decade is that all this information about individual voters  that exists in the commercial world now can be integrated with the information that exists in the political world,” says Issenberg.

Question: What is your gender?

My Answer: Female

Andrew Rasiej gave an example of how big data might work for an individual voter: a female Democrat who publicly posts on Facebook that she likes seventh generation environmental products.

“Instead of sending a message from Barack Obama saying ‘Please donate to my campaign,’ they might create  a message from Michelle Obama saying ‘Hey, my husband has the most progressive environmental record of any president in history, and we’d really like to get your feedback. Would you join our campaign, donate, and help us spread the message?’ That might resonate with her more than if they just sent a letter to her from Barack Obama attacking Mitt Romney for being a guy who says he creates jobs, but doesn’t.”

The interactive also asked me to choose my state. I live in Georgia, which is not a swing state.

Daniel Kreiss, an assistant professor at  University of North Carolina, explained how campaigns have used new media over the last decade to engage voters who don’t live in swing states.

Candidates traditionally have vast field campaigns that target voters in swing states. The campaigns tend to  recruit  volunteers to  reach out to people in those states by making phone calls and going door to door.  In the past, people who wanted to participate in the mass field campaigns in a  swing state without actually living in one may not have had a way  to get involved.

“One of the things that online calling tools that enable volunteers in states such as California to call into swing states like Nevada do is broaden the potential pool of voters,” says Kreiss.

An August article from Pro Publica shed some light on the candidates’ use of online calling tools  that “give anyone who registers for their websites the names and phone numbers of voters to contact”.  Romney supporters can use  “Operation Swing State”  to register for the phone bank and call voters in the swing states. On Barack Obama’s official campaign website, there is a page where voters can find information on calling swing states, including a link to a voter’s local phone bank. Voters can also log into the website for access to the online call tool.

Once again, I have to thank  PBS  for being my lifelong classroom. If you’ve done the interactive, share your results!

-The Vibrant VJ

Digital Media Makes Birthdays More Awesome

Monday, October 15 was my birthday! *throws glitter and twirls*

Besides celebrating being one year earlier, I also coin Monday as my first true digital media birthday.  Since I actively started using Facebook in the fall of 2006 before my freshman year of college, I’ve been enthused to receive “Happy Birthday” posts on my wall (or what’s now known as a Timeline). Even though I’ve been using Twitter for about two years, ( I don’t count that whole year when I had a Twitter account and never used it. Back then, my Twitter handle was something revolting like @PrettiIttyBitty. I think I had to change the “y” in “pretty” to an “i” because someone had already taken the handle @PrettyIttyBitty. Tacky, right? But I digress.) I rarely ever tweeted about my birthday, besides doing thank you replies to “Happy Birthday” mentions.

This year, I celebrated my birthday on 2 social networks and a digital platform: Facebook, Twitter, and Google + (Google hates it when people refer to Google + as a “social network. *sips tea*). Turns out I was in for some pretty great surprises!

Facebook

I was super excited to get the usual “Happy Birthday” posts, but a few friends went the extra mile to make some pretty creative birthday wishes. Two friends of mine from college (who are now roommates, so shout out to solidarity) uploaded a video to my timeline,  wishing me a great day while at the same time congratulating me on coming out of a birth canal and telling me I’m one year closer to needing a  hip replacement (gotta love that vibrant youth).

All too familiar with my obsession with love of  BBQ, another friend posted “Happy Birthday fellow Libra” along with this picture:

Ribs with Candles

That picture is totally better than ANY cake I will EVER eat…. EVER.

Twitter

More people sent me birthday wishes on Twitter this year. Giddy from all the new Twitter attention on my birthday, I even got bold and tweeted my own birthday “hint” to get more mentions (judge me).

Maybe in the future, Twitter users can include their birthdays in their profiles and those who follow them can choose to get an “alert” on the user’s birthday (No? Too much like Facebook? Oh, okay).

Google Plus 

I got my  biggest surprise on Google. I received my invite to join Google Plus in November of last year, so this was my first birthday with the platform.  When I pulled up the Google homepage on Monday, I saw this:

That’s right!! A Google Doodle of a cake with the image title  “Happy Birthday Shauna!” when I scrolled over it! I literally screamed “Awww! Oh My God!! (again, feel free to judge me)

Turns out, when you fill in your birthday on your Google Plus profile, Google gives you a Google Doodle on your birthday! Now THAT is some UX! Other Google Plus users can also send you birthday wishes, so I got a few of those too!

It’s not even the end of October, but I can’t help wondering what digital media birthday surprises I’ll be in for next year! What can I say? #NerdThoughts

-The Vibrant VJ

Black Girls Code presents “Build a Webpage Day” in Atlanta

When Black Girls Code brought “Build a Webpage Day” to Atlanta in August as part of the Summer of Code, more than 70 girls from ages 6 to 18 gathered at Emory University’s Woodruff Library to learn the basics of web design. I’ve been a fan of Black Girls Code since I heard about the program earlier in the year, so I immediately signed up to be one of the volunteers.

“Build a Webpage Day” opening

The day-long course divided the girls into elementary, middle, and high school groups taught by volunteer instructors, including software developers from ThoughtWorks, a global IT consulting firm.

Web developer  Jonathan Sampson   led the design instruction for the high school girls, assisted by  ThoughtWork’s John Daigle .

Between our volunteer duties, graphic designer Ashlee Lindo and I sat in on the high school session. Since we’re also learning programming and web design, we figured we’d try to glean some knowledge from the experts. People tend to mistake me for a high school student (probably because of  my youthful banter and young face I’m only 5 feet) so we blended right in with our new “classmates”, asking questions and taking notes.

Here’s a list of coding concepts and useful links we learned during the session. Even though the instructors used those links to teach high school girls, they’re useful tools for people learning all stages of web design:

Responsive Design

A website crafted to provide the best experience for the viewer, no matter what device is being used. Sites created with responsive design are easily viewed across multiple platforms such as smartphones, tablets, and desktops. The Boston Globe redesigned its site using HTML 5. In addition to device adaptability, the mobile site is also designed for touch response; viewers can control photo galleries and storyboards with their fingers, similar to the way they  would control an app. The new USA Today website was also heavily influenced by iPad design and compatibility.

Mozilla Thimble

With Mozilla Thimble, you can write and edit HTML  in your web browser and instantly preview the results. Thimble is divided into two sections: coders can  type HTML on the right and preview the webpage on the left. The site also has an additional list of  hackable projects where users can edit the code of an already finished page.

Hackasaurus (okay, this one is for the little ones)

 Hackasaurus uses ” X-ray Goggles to show kids web elements. Once they use the goggles, they can toggle with HTML to change the site design.  The site also comes with a list of tools for teachers.

JS Fiddle.net

More seasoned website builders can use JS Fiddle to test web elements and share code  in a browser. The code sharing tool allows coders to maintain a list of projects or “fiddles” on the dashboard. Site builders can test HTML, CSS,  and Javascript in three separate windows, then run the code in a fourth window.

JS Bin.com

Similar to  JS Fiddle,  website builders  can use  JS Bin to test and share HTML, CSS, and Javascript in a browser.

SUBLIME

Sublime Text is a cross platform code editor. Advanced site builders can install the editor on Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux and run multiple programming languages.

Mozilla Developer Network

Mozilla Developer Network  is a an open community of developers who compile resources for coding and multiple programming languages. Each type of code or programming language is categorized with a definition and a list of tutorials and additional resources.

For more pictures of “Build a Webpage Day” see the slideshow below, or view the entire album on Google+

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Got suggestions for web building tools? Comment below or tweet me @ShaunaReporter !

How I made a social media supplement on Storify

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been looking for a way to present my skills in digital and social media. Today, I created a social media supplement on Storify.

The supplement contains:

  • a bio
  • a brief overview of my skills
  • short and long-term career goals
  • influential twitter followers
  • links to digital/ social media profiles
  • key social media interactions

For a while, I’ve needed a way to present my knowledge of  social media, curation, blogging,  and web content production. I have a growing digital footprint, including more than  2,000 followers on Twitter.  While I consider myself relatively likeable, significantly less than 50 of my followers are actually flesh and blood friends of mine.

All jokes aside, there are just some experiences I can’t communicate well enough on a paper resume. Since word on the web is that resumes may even become obsolete in a few years in favor of digital footprints,  I figured there’s no better time than now to get cracking on another digital profile.

Here’s how I got started:

I’d seen articles about people making creative interactive resumes on social media sites like Pinterest , so I took to Google and entered the search terms “interactive resume”  to find some helpful hints.  The first result was  a post from Media Bistro’s 10,000 Words blog:  “How to Use Storify to Make an Interactive Resume“. The post profiled Scott Kubie, a copywriter who used  Storify last year to create a resume showcasing his career experience creating content on and for the web. 

I was pretty impressed with Scott’s story. Like Scott, I needed a creative way to show work I’ve done. I also wanted to go beyond paper to show my personality, including my attempts at humor (Hey, sometimes I can be pretty funny. Unfortunately, I can’t waste space on a resume with a line that says “sometimes I’m funny”). I’d been looking to create a version of a social media supplement since I came across Reuters deputy social media producer Matthew Keys’ PDF supplement a couple months ago. So, instead of chronicling my career history, I decided to exhibit my use of digital media by showing  some key social media interactions I’ve had this year.  Using Tospy and links to my digital profiles, I created a supplement that showcased social media reactions to some of my digital content.

Of course, this blog post wouldn’t be complete without a shameless networking plug.

I’m a multimedia journalist, and I’m learning to build web pages and program.  Scott Kubie has done broadcast storytelling, produces web content, and does UX.  Who knows, maybe our paths will cross and we can teach each other something (translation: I hope we can connect on Twitter via the follow button).

So that’s the background story of how and why I made a social media supplement on Storify! Tell me how I did! Let me know in the comments section, or send me a tweet!

-The Vibrant VJ

Best responses to “Muslim Rage” : 5 Must Reads

  1. After watching the Twittersphere respond to last week’s Newsweek cover story, I created a Storify  of some of the funniest tweets and best content. Twitter jokes aside, I came across some creative and thought provoking pieces in response to “muslim rage”.  From creative video to personal essays,  I made a list of must reads:
    I exported the Storify below, but you can find the original at Storify.com
    In her essay for Newsweek, writer and former politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali discusses her critical views of the Muslim religion, and talks about her personal encounters as a former member of the Muslim faith.  Ali discussed the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, writing “Islam’s rage reared its ugly head” once again. While her essay set off a good deal of response, the Newsweek cover that accompanied the essay made headlines.
  2. Newsweek
    COVER STORY: Ayaan Hirsi Ali on how she survived Muslim rage– and how we can end it http://bit.ly/PK2qz0
    Newsweek
    Mon, Sep 17 2012 07:42:35

  3. Thinkprogress
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 16:42:35
  4. Newsweek served up a hashtag to go right along with the cover story, hoping to provoke some discussion on Twitter.
  5. Newsweek
    Want to discuss our latest cover? Let’s hear it with the hashtag: #MuslimRage.
    Newsweek
    Mon, Sep 17 2012 07:45:24
  6. The Twittersphere flipped the script, largely turning the “hashtag discussion” into parody, using comical situations to express “muslim rage”.
  7. rezaaslan
    Welcome to the new digital age @Newsweek. Your attempts to use #MuslimRage to discuss your foul cover has become funniest joke on twitter.
    Reza Aslan
    Mon, Sep 17 2012 09:17:45
  8. Here’s a look at some of the funniest tweets:
  9. Arab_Fury
    Muslims just hijacked @Newsweek’s hashtag. Pun intended. #MuslimRage
    Arab Fury
    Mon, Sep 17 2012 08:29:29
  10. ThatSalafi
    Twitter is over capacity. Heading to the U.S. embassy. #MuslimRage
    Salafi
    Wed, Sep 19 2012 12:11:24
  11. DudeWherezMyCar
    I lost my son Jihad at the airport. I can’t shout for him #MuslimRage
    Eat My Shorts
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 06:30:28
  12. ashrafkhalil
    When I find myself consumed with #muslimrage I watch this video. For some reason, it helps…
    http://youtu.be/6R3BYCT5oWw
    ashraf khalil
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 03:45:22
  13. Gawker even compiled 13 powerful images of muslim rage, including a little girl in a bright pink bubble jacket angrily brandishing holding the Egyptian flag.
  14. All jokes aside, the topic of “muslim rage”  brought some interesting and informative reads to the surface. From op-eds to personal essays, responses to the cover story prompted more than just parody and comic relief. They drew comparisons, examined issues, and provoked serious discussion. Here are 5 informative, interesting, and insightful pieces:
  15. 1. Who’s Afraid of Muslim Rage?  (Avaaz Magazine) 
    Avaaz Magazine breaks down responses to the attacks in Benghazi into three parts:  7 points obscured in media coverage,  Salafist radicals who instigated violent reaction to the “The Innocence of Muslims” , and  pieces from journalists and scholars that take an in depth look at the intent and motives behind the protests.
    “Like the far-right in the US or Europe, the Salafist strategy is to drag public opinion rightwards by seizing on opportunities to fan radical anger and demonise ideological opponents.”
  16. samimounir4
    Nothing, but #MuslimRage. Glad you mention 7 #points: RT: What media isn’t telling you about #MuslimRage? http://en.avaaz.org/s/nCxaab via @Avaaz
    sami mounir
    Wed, Sep 19 2012 22:22:44
  17. 2. Peace Be Upon You by William Saletan (Slate Magazine) 
    Saletan’s op-ed encourages not only Muslims, but also Christians and Jews, to ignore those who mock and poke fun at their religion.

    “Derision is that much harder to control. The spread of digital technology and Internet bandwidth makes it possible to reach every corner of the globe almost instantly with homemade video defaming any faith tradition. It can become an incendiary weapon. But it has a weakness: It depends on you. You’re the detonator. If you don’t cooperate, the bomb doesn’t explode.”

  18. shaari
    A must read article on #MuslimRage. Makes a lot of sense. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/human_nature/2012/09/mohammed_movie_embassy_attacks_don_t_let_internet_videos_drive_you_to_violence_.html
    Shaari Verified
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 00:45:46
  19. 3.  Are Muslims Nuts? by Haroon Moghul (Religion Dispatches):
    In this essay, Moghul talks about how the Western world is portrayed in Middle Eastern society and how that perception triggers   angry responses from a small minority of extremists. 
    “Muslims are not crazier than other people; even the crazier Muslims are not crazier than crazies elsewhere. Nor is it that Muslims are unusually allergic to criticism; responses to “The Innocence of Muslims” and attacks on consulates and embassies must be understood within a much larger context.”
  20. hsmoghul
    Why do they hate us? Well, why do we hate them? Or, the real roots of #MuslimRage http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/atheologies/6401/are_muslims_nuts_/ @RDispatches
    Haroon Moghul
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 07:15:01
  21. 4. Days of Rage by Steve Coll (The New Yorker)
    This op-ed discusses factors in the last two centuries that have contributed to conflict between the Western and Islamic world, including the 1990 publication of Roots of Muslim Rage. “In “The Roots of Muslim Rage,” an essay published in 1990, the historian Bernard Lewis describes a “surge of hatred” rising from the Islamic world that “becomes a rejection of Western civilization as such.” The thesis became influential. It posited a crisis within a global Islamic community that made conflict with the United States and Europe inevitable.”

  22. AubreyBelford
    Great article on the complexities beyond #MuslimRage http://nyr.kr/Ur6Uc1
    Aubrey Belford
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 03:49:44
  23. 5. Project Clean For Peace. #MuslimLove
     A short video by Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi showing more than 1,000 Pakistani people gathering together to clean up a mess created by “the few individuals who somehow always end up defining Pakistan.”
  24. SehrPirzada
    Project Clean Up For Peace-a response to #MuslimRage with #MuslimLove http://vimeo.com/50020581 #Pakistan
    Sehr Pirzada
    Sun, Sep 23 2012 19:50:08
  25. Project Clean For Peace. #MuslimLove
    Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi
    Mon, Sep 24 2012 23:09:12
  26. What are the best responses you’ve seen/ read about “muslim rage”? Tweet me @ShaunaReporter.

iPhone 5 is hot on the streets! Get live coverage of the iPhone5 opening day

The iPhone 5 is finally ready for pick up at retailers around the world. If you’re not braving the streets and waiting in line with the masses to get your hands on Apple’s newest mobile device, you can still get up- to- date details on all of the activity surrounding this year’s most talked about smartphone on its opening day. Here are three sites doing live coverage as the iPhone 5 hits the streets.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 

WSJ is streaming coverage on its tech page. Besides  tweets from writers at store openings, the live blog also features financial info about Apple, including boosts in store sales  and market updates.

CNET

CNET reporters are stationed around the world with detailed posts and vibrant pictures of crowds waiting to get their new phones. One standout photo is of Lawrence, a man who paid $1,500 for someone else to stand in line for him until the last minute.

TECH CRUNCH

Tech Crunch took a slightly different spin. Besides sending out a writer to do a life stream  of the  opening day at Apple’s flagship store in New York, the tech site also sent out writer Romain Dillet to stand in line 24 hours before the store opened. Armed with a camera, laptop, and wifi, Romain posted gureilla style video updates from his spot in the (at least recently) unwashed masses.

Want to get caught up on all the action last week? If you missed the whirlwind of iPhone 5 coverage from the unveiling on September 12 (or simply want to relive the moments)  don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are links to my four favorite live blogs from the iPhone 5 event last week:

THE VERGE: If you’re looking for coverage of the iPhone 5 unveiling without tweets or extra commentary from reporters, try the verge live blog.  Scroll through the blog to see pictures of the Apple event in San Francisco, starting from the media lines outside at  9am.

REUTERS:  Compiled by Reuters social media editors Anthony de Rosa and Matthew Keys, the Reuters live blog  had the best mashup of pictures, video, and tweets about the event. Combining tweets from tech experts, material from Reuters, and even pictures from other live blogs (such as the Verge), Reuters created a true multisource experience.

MASHABLE: True to Mashable form, this live blog combines the smart and (sometimes) witty commentary of Mashable writers with vibrant photos.

WALL STREET JOURNAL:   WSJ has streamed coverage of activity surrounding the iPhone 5 since August 31. Reverse the order of the live updating tech site to read coverage from the beginning.  You’ll have to scroll through the stream posts to find updates on the Apple event, since today (September 21) the coverage is focused on the opening iPhone retail day (note: the second paragraph of this post), but you can find a separate recap on the live blog.

Watching coverage of the masses? Tell me @ShaunaReporter

#MuckedUp Chat: Branding for Journalists

  1. Branding, branding, branding.
    Now, it’s easier than ever for journalists to  build a brand with social media.
    There’s just one downside: it’s getting real out here… real noisy. 
    Thankfully, journalists have a few watering holes where we can go and drink from the foundation of knowledge (Yes. I really said “drink from the fountain of knowledge”. No shame in my game) .  One of these watering holes is Muck Rack, a digital destination where journalists can find each other on the Twittersphere.  I’ll be honest: if you’re not following Muck Rack, you’re losing.
    Wednesday night,  Muck Rack’s #MuckedUp chat was devoted to branding, from building your own brand, to the brand of a news organization. The takeaway from the chat: use the noise to your advantage!
    I Storified some of my favorite tweets from the chat. Check it out below:
    The September 11 edition of Muck Rack’s #MuckedUp twitter chat was all about how journalists can use social media to strengthen their brand.  I always jump at the chance to talk about social media strategy in the news business and engage with a few familiar faces twitter handles in the field, so this chat was right up my alley! We talked engagement, interaction, and creating a voice. Here are a few of my favorite #MuckedUp nuggets of knowledge, including some tweets of my own.
  2. muckrack
    Tonight we’re talking Branding for Journalists. Here’s some background: http://owl.li/dDO12 #muckedup
    Muck Rack
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:00:54
  3. Question 1: How do you use social media as a tool to brand yourself and create a unique voice as a journalist/ pr pro? Tell us you process. 
  4. profkrg
    Engagement is key. RT @znmeb: A1 It’s not a process – it’s communication – listening and talking #muckedup
    Kenna Griffin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:09:32
  5. PRgirlAshley
    Q1 My “personal brand” is true to my actual voice. I’m transparent about who I am on social media as a reflection of who I am IRL. #Muckedup
    Ashley Wade
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:10:15
  6. jessebgillcrime
    Q1: I’ve used SM to establish for my readers what I specialize in, whether or not I’m tweeting about my own story. #muckedup #muckedup
    Jesse B. Gill
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:10:34
  7. incrediblekulk
    Q1. Do these journo chats, engage w/journos on Twitter during day. Etc etc. etc. You have to want to be on social media. #muckedup
    Joey Kulkin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:15:28
  8. Question 2: What’s more important for creating a brand: publication you write for or your voice as a journo? What if you’re a freelancer? 

  9. twatan
    A2. Combo of both – you can grow your personal voice by having a good looking outlet handle in your personal bio. #MuckedUp
    Natan Edelsburg
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:16:56
  10. jessebgillcrime
    Q2: I’ve been freelancing for a while and I put my own voice out there first, then link to outlets I work for. #muckedup #muckedup
    Jesse B. Gill
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:18:00
  11. ErikDeutsch
    #muckedup re. Q2 – if your news outlet is little known, you have to take the lead w/branding… if it’s a household name, you leverage that.
    Erik Deutsch
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:18:17
  12. mdpitman
    #muckedup A2: I’m a staffer, so I build my own brand, and I by transitive property, you represent your news org.
    Michael Pitman
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:19:23
  13. averyholton
    .@muckrack Blended branding is key. Your voice should be woven into your work, too. #muckedup
    Avery Holton
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:18:48
  14. Of course, you can’t talk about social media without having the “personal” vs “professional” discussion. In the case of Twitter, how can journalists combine personal tweets with professional ones… if at all?
  15. nilesmedia
    @adampopescu @muckrack #muckedup I’ve considered starting separate accounts to pursue those different lines of interest.
    Hilary Niles
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:16:06
  16. incrediblekulk
    I don’t believe in sep. Twitter handles. Twitter is what it is, it’s OK to tweet professional/personal. #muckedup
    Joey Kulkin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:18:10
  17. ShaunaReporter
    A2: If you use a twitter account only for professional tweets, you run the risk of looking like a newswire. (1/2) #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:22:37
  18. ShaunaReporter
    A2. (2/2) Using a twitter personally allows you to incorporate other social media elements (ex. 4square) w/out seeming awkward. #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:25:21
  19. tim_herrera
    @muckrack @shaunareporter if you’re a good, reliable, varied newswire, nothing wrong with that. some people’s careers are built on it.
    Tim Herrera
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:24:56
  20. ShaunaReporter
    @tim_herrera @muckrack It’s your job as a journalist to be good and reliable. Weaving in personal tweets shouldn’t change that. #MuckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:29:29
  21. Question 3: How do you create a consistent voice for your brand if you’re a journo that writes on multiple beats? Or freelances? 
  22. profkrg
    A3: If your brand is you, the beat shouldn’t matter. #muckedup
    Kenna Griffin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:26:21
  23. jghellum
    As long as you are credible at it. RT @muckrack: RT @adampopescu: RT @profkrg: A3: If your brand is you, the beat shouldnt matter. #muckedup
    Jennifer Gaie Hellum
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:31:14
  24. profkrg
    A3: You should be doing more than promoting your own content. You should be communicating as a professional, not a beat publicist. #muckedup
    Kenna Griffin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:26:55
  25. nilesmedia
    @muckrack #muckedup A3: Consistency doesn’t have to mean narrow scope. Versatility can be a brand trait. And quality is the most important.
    Hilary Niles
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:27:34
  26. mdpitman
    #muckedup W/ multiple beats, there are commonalities – government, sports, cops/crime. Find the commonality and build it from there.
    Michael Pitman
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:27:33
  27. jessebgillcrime
    A3: As a freelancer, the voice comes from the way I frame each story, regardless of the topic. I could be better at it. #muckedup #muckedup
    Jesse B. Gill
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:27:35
  28. jghellum
    A3: Your brand says what you uniquely bring to tthe niche you cover, why your audience should trust you. It should be portable. #muckedup
    Jennifer Gaie Hellum
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:29:38
  29. ShaunaReporter
    Q3 If twitter is interfering w/ your voice or getting in the way of your credibility/ brand, then you aren’t using it properly. #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:34:06
  30. ShaunaReporter
    A3: Twitter and other social media are supposed to enhance newsgathering and storytelling. Not get in the way of it. #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:35:53
  31. averyholton
    Lifecast when you can/appropriate. No one wants a tweet bot/robot. #muckedup @muckrack
    Avery Holton
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:33:07
  32. Question 4: What are the best tips/ advice to give journos/pr who want to create and sustain a brand. Share your secret sauce (if you can) 
  33. jessebgillcrime
    A4: Break news and break it in a fun way. #muckedup #muckedup
    Jesse B. Gill
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:42:18
  34. znmeb
    A4 There are so many cliches out there that answer this, but for me, it boils down to “don’t be an asshole” #muckedup
    M. Edward Borasky
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:42:18
  35. mdpitman
    A4: Be consistent. Don’t be an info dump. Interact (it’s call SOCIAL media for a reason). Use a social media manager, ie HootSuite #muckedup
    Michael Pitman
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:43:43
  36. incrediblekulk
    Q4. Have fun. Be serious, sure. But relax, have fun. #muckedup
    Joey Kulkin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:44:08
  37. ivanlajara
    @muckrack A4. Be yourself. #muckedup
    Ivan Lajara
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:44:42
  38. jghellum
    A4: Define what makes you unique, based on your personality, talents, skills and life experience. Communicate it clearly. #muckedup
    Jennifer Gaie Hellum
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:45:04
  39. adampopescu
    @MissBeaE good pt “don’t overuse Tweetdeck to retweet the same story in the exact way…followers will notice and lose interest” #muckedup
    Adam Popescu
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:47:22
  40. MissBeaE
    A. 4 It’s okay to share some behind the scenes moments. It allows followers/fans more of a personal relationship to your brand. #Muckedup
    Beatrice Peterson
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:48:40
  41. ShaunaReporter
    A4: Not to be cliche, but try new things. And after you try, talk about it. Actually BE SOCIAL on social media! #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:49:39
  42. ShaunaReporter
    *scary music* @muckrack
    MT @jghellum: @adampopescu @jessebgillcrime If u can’t express what makes you valuable, you have no brand. #muckedup
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 17:50:59
  43. Question 5: Name names. Who are some journos who have built a stong brand that you respect? What have you learned from them? Tips?
  44. adampopescu
    RT @jghellum: @muckrack Journos with strong brands: @AntDeRosa @jaketapper @DonGonyea @AugensteinWTOP @NorahODonnell @andycarvin #muckedup
    Adam Popescu
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 18:00:02
  45. adampopescu
    A5: Follow @RunGomez @Roeberg @louispeitzman @maxzimbert @FruzsE @ablaze @johnpaul young journos on the come up! #muckedup
    Adam Popescu
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 18:01:54
  46. jghellum
    Yes! More journos with strong brands MT @ivanlajara: @muckrack A5. @acarvin @stevebuttry @ckanal @nytjim #muckedup
    Jennifer Gaie Hellum
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 18:00:04
  47. ShaunaReporter
    One young journo who had built a strong digital resume/ brand is @producerMatthew. #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 18:02:00
  48. ShaunaReporter
    A5: Another journo w/ a great digital footprint and brand = @jennydeluxe #muckedUp
    shauna stuart
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 18:04:04
  49. incrediblekulk
    The writers who move me: @mtaibbi @macgregorespn @mysecondempire @kvanvalkenburg. Top-shelf reporting/ideas/writing. #muckedup
    Joey Kulkin
    Tue, Sep 11 2012 18:02:48
  50.  For more updates from Muck Rack, subscribe to Muck Rack Daily. You can also follow the blog!

President Obama answers questions on Reddit

Yesterday, President Obama tapped into the social media sphere to do a 30-minute question and answer session on  Reddit. His unscheduled appearance on the community site was another opportunity to connect with voters in the 25 to 30 age group, a range that’s been difficult to reach through traditional political advertising. 

Despite only answering ten questions and keeping most of his responses during the AMA (“Ask me Anything”) pretty general, President Obama might be able to chalk up another win for his activity on social networks. The AMA also gave Reddit mainstream exposure, especially with all of the extra traffic from the Twittersphere. In an op-ed, Mashable’s Christina Warren called all of the extra attention Reddit’s “coming out party“. The Reddit server had a hard time keeping up, and the “heavy load” screen popped up several times in the half hour session.

While the president received a number of points for his answers to questions about the war in Afghanistan and (not surprisingly) internet freedom, he only received seventeen points for his response to a question about unemployment for recent graduates, a key issue for voters in the age range for Reddit users .

President Obama didn’t keep the AMA all policy. He managed to answer a few questions about sports, family life, and the White House beer recipe.

Here’s the link to the president’s full page of responses: http://www.reddit.com/user/PresidentObama

For newbies to Reddit, just click “context” or “permalink”  to show the specific questions he responded to.

If you’re looking to read President Obama’s answers to questions without having to slough through the Reddit feed, check out these Storify stories curated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation    and Digital First Media engagement editor Ivan Lajara .

Was the president’s AMA your Reddit debut? Comment or let me know at @ShaunaReporter.