How to do a livestream and live-tweeting event at the same time

Here's the cheat sheet on livetweeting and livestreaming at the same time, in case you want to know how and why we are doing this at the Freeman. .



THE SET UP
For live tweeting:
* Make a CoveritLive event, add your Twitter account or that of the person doing live tweeting. New to CoveritLive? Here's a whole bunch of tutorials to get you started.

Why would I want to live tweet if there is going to be live video?

Because live-tweeting the event can serve as your notes, it helps members of your community with context (and those who jump in late), and helps you mark time stamps in the video, which makes it easier to search for direct quotes once you're done livestreaming.

How in the world do you expect me to live-tweet and live-stream at the same time?

Livestreaming is as easy as hitting a button.

Seriously?

Seriously. Here's the button in Ustream.

So you have to do hit that button (and the 'record' one next to it) at the beginning of the event and at the end. All the time in between is for note taking, interviews, etc. But the event will determine if it can be done easily or not. Don't try to do everything if it's difficult and/or cumbersome.

For livestream:
* Place a Ustream or Livestream container online (the embed code), with the CoverItLive container on top or at the bottom, hours before the event. Have it featured prominently online. Push it on social media and in print the day of the event.

Wait a sec! How do you livestream?

Like this. Go to www.ustream.tv/, create an account (or use your Facebook one), from the dashboard, hit create a show, name it, hit 'Go Live' on top right and click on the Start Broadcast and Start Record buttons. That's it. You can get fancy if you want and add logos, pre-roll, hook up your social media and all that. But for a quick start, that's pretty much it.




BEFORE THE EVENT

Press conferences are the easiest things to plan for and can be very newsy, so interest would be high. We did one earlier this month without notice and it got tons of hits.

Arrive at least 30 minutes in advance and test livestream, CoveritLive and tweets 10 minutes before events (something like, “hey guys, I’m about to blahbhahbghbalhdlkfjaqryuiahsdf” “how’s the sound” etc.)



WHAT YOU NEED:

A laptop with a web cam and an Internet card if out of the office. (Netbook works but I don’t recommended because they’re too cumbersome for most).

Duct tape to place web camera on convenient places and to prevent people from tripping on your cables if you find a plug. Look at the photo at right. There's a camera on top of a box. The other one (plan B, which we didn't need) is taped to a laptop.

(In the photo at right, we were taking live questions from the community, which were being displayed on the screen on the wall. This required another person.)

So, yes, you can have a sidekick in the newsroom or at the scene watching/tweeting/writing early web story and moderating comments. Tasks can be split depending on digital proficiency.

Using these tips, we've livestreamed three events last week. And two of them happened at the same time. It should be noted that the reporters did the livestreams themselves, with me just watching and /or moderating comments. I was only physically present for one of the livestreams.

DFM chat on data in journalism

Good morning! Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon.

Today we're talking about data in journalism: What to use, how to use it and present it, tips, etc.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.
Better yet, type your question in the box below if you want some clarification.

5 digital tools for newsrooms and how they help journalism

Here's my list for the top five digital tools and how they can help journalism

1. Storify.
The most overdone way this tool has been used is to pile up tweets and facebook posts. I believe this is a gross underuse of the tool.

For example, you can use it for curation of stories, images, videos and tips when reporters can’t be at the scene (say, if the National Guard closes access to the town because the town was washed away by floods);
But, yes, you can use it to gather community reaction (best practices is to always give context/link to story);

 And for narratives;

And for ridiculously comprehensive context/timelines;

And for fun;

Or even just to pile up resources.

More examples at http://storify.com/ivanlajara

2. CoveritLive
Live blogging made easy. Highly customizable, it also archives the information posted there. Examples:

As an emergency resource for information;

For encapsulating live-blogging/tweeting of trials;

And public meetings of great interest;

And even budget votes;

For twitter chats;

For curation of national stories.

3. Google Maps
Easiest use is to show where crime scenes are;

Can also be used for crowdsourced efforts, like holiday lights;
Don’t neglect road closings;


4. Ustream (or Livestream)
For political debates (note combo with Coveritlive and Slideshare with crowdsourced questions);
For press conferences (you can use coveritlive for this too, depends on the story, who’s doing it and what you have available);
For cultural events;

Both can be added to Facebook as a tab as well.

5. ManyEyes
For crime statistics; (and here)

For school reports
For investigations

BONUS TOOL: Scribd. Good for any primary document. Upload, embed. Done.  Also good for front pages.
And mugs.

That was some of 2011, so here are (some) of my goals for the first half of this year.


· Continued recruitment of local blogger network and subsequent regular informal and informational meet-ups at an outside location.


· Expansion of livestreaming sessions and political debates with live public questions and with physical public participation at an outside location (our facilities do not currently allow us to host an audience to our sessions). These sessions are also scheduled to include a post debate discussion with the community, as to further the Citizens Agenda project as well. THIS WILL BE DONE BY STAFF, GOING SOLO.


· Staff boxes, contact info at the bottom of stories. Expansion and measuring of newly created Facebook pages.


· Fact Check blog integration and visibility


· Continued use of the (small) conference room for events, and the implementation of livestreamed newsroom discussions and training sessions.


· Soft opening of a small-scale Community Media Lab in the current conference room on selected dates, to feature public availability of computers and wifi, with public tutorials to accommodate access to microfilm and archives elsewhere in the building (and to compensate for the size of the room).


· The development of classes geared toward better communication between community, government and police agencies and the Freeman. (“How to get It published in the Daily Freeman,” “Communicating vital information during disasters,” etc).


· Establishment of an occasional ‘mobile bureau,’ where once a month, a reporter sets up ‘camp’ at different locations to gather story ideas, get community tips and feedback and develop sources.


· Resume newsroom tours.


· Pulitzer.

Heck, why not.

UPDATE: It should be noted that fellow Idealabber Tom Caprood at the Troy Record has an earlier post for his top five and upcoming goals. Check it out!

DFM chat on how Digital First can improve journalism

Good morning! Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon.

Today we're talking about how the Digital First philosophy can help improve journalism. Some of us will  bringing examples, but we'll also address concerns and questions about this disruptive viewpoint.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.
Better yet, type your question in the box below if you want some clarification.



(Image via Inma)

Journalistic predictions for 2012, the serious, the bad and the tweets

JRC Chat on Google for journalism

Good morning! Members of the Journal Register Company's Idealab - and everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the (kind-of) weekly Twitter chat at noon.

Today we're talking about Google tools and how they can be used in the pursuit of journalism excellence.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#jrcchat" so it can automatically appear below, or post a comment in the field at the bottom of the chat box.

Since this is about Google, I figured we could also try livestreaming a Hangout of the chat, if anyone wants in as well.

Digital journalism chat at SUNY New Paltz with Ivan Lajara ... Wait! WHAAAAAAAAA????

I'm going to be a guest journalist/speaker/panelist/something at the SUNY New Paltz Journalism 2 class with Adam Bosch (of the Times-Herald-Record-Gazette-Advertiser-Chronicle-Journal-Thing-Stuff) and Professor Nancy Meyer Heiz (who leads the Little Rebellion) to talk about digital journalism awesomesauce.

The guys over at the Little Rebellion are covering the event live, so they can chronicle a potentially epic failure.

It should be fun. The event takes place at 8:30 a.m. sharp. So don't miss it!

Or miss it and the read the transcript later.

Or don't.

Whatever, man.

Journalism and social media at #140confHV

JRC Chat on Storify: The Storify recap

If you are new to Storify, I recommend CHECKING THIS STORIFY!

JRC Chat on tools and tricks, and a year of Idealab accomplishments

Good morning! Members of the Journal Register Company's Idealab - and anyone who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon.

Today we are talking about newer tools, tricks of the trade and a year of Idealab accomplishments.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#jrcchat" so it can automatically appear below, or post a comment in the field at the bottom of the chat box.

JRC Chat on Social Media Wire - and Google+!

It's Wednesday! And that means that members of the Journal Register Company's Idealab - and anyone who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon, which you didn't join last week.

So we are going to be talking about the Social Media Wire.
What is it? I still don't know!
So we'll talk about its meaning, how to do it and how to use it in journalism.

BONUS! GOOGLE+ BABY!

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#jrcchat" so it can automatically appear below, or post a comment in the field at the bottom of the chat box.

As always, you are welcome to participate at anytime you want.

OH BOY! I forgot to share the Google+ Cheat Sheet during #JRCChat - http://on.mash.to/nvFQGYless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyIvan Lajara
ivanlajara

JRC Chat on social medial rules Wednesday at noon

OH HAI!

We - journalists, fans (foes?) and everyone who wants - are having a Twitter chat Wednesday at noon to talk about JRC CEO John Paton's MANDATORY SOCIAL MEDIA RULES FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

We'll have fun.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#jrcchat" so it can automatically appear below, or post a comment in the field at the bottom of the chat box.

As always, you are welcome to participate at anytime you want.

JRC Chat at noon on collaboration, 'Journalists on Facebook'

It's Wednesday again! (it seems to happen every week). And that means that members of the Journal Register Company's Idealab - and anyone who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon.

Today we will be collaborating and talking about, um, collaboration! We'll bring some tutorials for journalists and bloggers, produced by us and from all over, with the goal of get them all in one single space for easier access.

We're also going to be talking about the recently unveiled "Journalists on Facebook" page and what can we get out of it.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#jrcchat" so it can automatically appear below, or post a comment in the field at the bottom of the chat box.

As always, you are welcome to participate at anytime you want

JRC Chat at noon talks about Project Thunderdome

It's Wednesday again! (it seems to happen every week). And that means that members of the Journal Register Company's Idealab - and anyone who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon.

Today we will be talking about recent developments in our company — I believe it's called JRC, which stands for "What's All This About Thunderdome?"

We're also going to be talking about the recent hiring of Jim Brady and Project Thunderdome (cue Tina Turner).

If this sounds cryptic to you, its' because, um, it kind of is, so we'll be talking what all this is, what it means to us, to our users (that would be you), to journalism, and how everything is going to work out without the help of Mel Gibson. And we're all going to be doing this on the Twitters, because that's how we roll.

The live feed is posted below. But you can also follow the chat here or here or also here. And you can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, just post a tweet with the hashtag "#jrcchat" so it can automatically appear below, or post a comment in the field at the bottom of the chat box.

As you can tell, we're totally transparent, and anything goes. It's the new JRC, after all, or I would have been fired a long, long time ago.


As always, you are welcome to participate at anytime you want. And, of course, we're going to have links.

Tools and resources for journalists: links from JRC Chat

As you know members of the Journal Register Company Idealab, editors, digital ninjas and anyone interested hold a weekly Twitter, now on Wednesdays at noon.

I was asked to compile the useful links from the chat that all journalists could use. And I stupidly agreed.

So here they are. Enjoy.

JRC Chat at noon

As it is now becoming tradition, members of the Journal Register Company Idealab (yours included) and anyone interested are going to be holding our weekly Twitter/CoverItLive chat at noon.

Today will be talking about the AOL/HuffingtonPost deal, since it potentially can or may affect and/or influence smaller news organizations. We'll also be brainstorming some ideas for super reporting - meaning how to accomplish covering an event in a variety of platforms if there's only one of you.


 
The feed is also posted below.

As always, don't forget to bring your links.