Web Journalism A Revolution in Storytelling (WJRS)

63 views 77 slides Jan 25, 2025
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About This Presentation

The future of web journalism is shaped by technological advancements and changing audience preferences. Emerging trends include the use of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for immersive storytelling, the rise of subscription-based models, and the increasi...


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Web Journalism: A Revolution in Storytelling (WJRS)

©Jayakumar K, 2024-25










Web Journalism: A Revolution in
Storytelling (WJRS)










Copyright Notice
© Copyright 2024-25, Prepared by Jayakumar K
This book, “Digital/Web Journalism: A Revolution in Storytelling,” was meticulously prepared by
Jayakumar K exclusively for New Media Training purposes. The content within this book has been curated
from a variety of sources, including books, websites, and blogs related to Digital/Web Journalism. The
information and materials ("the Content") presented in this book are intended solely for personal, non-
commercial educational use.

All images, logos, graphics, and their selection and arrangement are the property of their respective content
providers and are protected by international copyright laws. Certain logos are registered trademarks of the
content providers referenced and are not to be infringed upon.

This book may not be resold or used for any commercial purposes.

Please direct any queries, suggestions, or feedback regarding this study material to [email protected]
or [email protected]. For more information about the author, visit www.kjayakumar.in.

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Contents
1 Digital/ Web Journalism: A Revolution in Storytelling 6
1.1 Work outside traditional press 6
1.2 Introduction and History 7
1.3 Digital Journalism vs. Traditional Journalism: 9
2 The Digital Media Landscape 9
2.1 Major Players and Platforms: 9
2.2 Trends and Innovations: 9
2.3 The Influence of Algorithms: 9
3 Journalism Practices in the Digital Age 10
3.1 Citizen Journalism 10
3.2 Mobile Journalism (Mobile First) 10
3.3 Data Journalism 10
3.3.1 Additional Suggested Topics 11
3.4 Social Media for Journalists 12
4 The Business of Digital Journalism 12
4.1 Revenue Models 12
4.2 Challenges 12
4.3 Trends and Innovations 13
5 Content/ News Leveraging Strategies 13
5.1 RSS Feed Impact in News Leveraging 13
5.1.1 Sample RSS Feed 13
5.2 Google News Feed Impact and Google Publisher 13
5.3 Reasons for News Channel News Not Appearing in Google News 14
5.4 Generating Effective News Feeds in Google and Social Media Platforms 14
5.5 Coverage Issue Identification through Google Search Console 14
5.6 Role of Google Publisher and Google in News Indexing Process 14
5.7 How Search Engine Bots Work for News Indexing and Leveraging 14
5.8 Blogs 14
6 Online News Portals 15
6.1 Popularity of online articles 16
6.2 News Content Optimisation 16
6.3 News- Inbound Approach 17
6.4 Make Marketing People Love 18
6.5 News Schema and Semantic Markup (rNews Standard)* 18
6.6 The Need for News Schema Integration 18
6.7 Importance of Schema Integration 19
6.8 Key Components of News Schema 19
6.8.1 Example of News Article Schema Markup 20
7 Enhanced News Leveraging Online 21
7.1 How News Sitemap Can Enhance News Leveraging 21
7.1.1 Example News Sitemap 22
7.2 RSS Feed Impact in News Leveraging 22
7.2.1 Sample RSS Feed 22
7.3 Google News and Feed Impact in Google Publisher 22
7.4 News Feeds in Google and Social Media Platforms 23

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7.5 Reasons for News Channel News Not Appearing in Google News 23
7.5.1 Coverage Issue and Google Search Console 23
7.5.2 Role of Google Publisher and Google in News Indexing Process 23
7.5.3 Search Engine Bots and News Indexing and Leveraging 23
8 NewsSchema (Article, NewsArticle, BlogPosting) and Structured Data 24
8.1 News Article Example 24
8.2 News Structured Data Example 25
8.3 News Schema code Example 26
9 News Algorithms 27
9.1 Google News Algorithm: 27
9.2 Panda Algorithm: 27
9.3 Penguin Algorithm: 27
9.4 Hummingbird Algorithm: 27
9.5 RankBrain: 27
9.6 Mobile-First Indexing: 27
9.7 BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers): 27
10 Meta (Face Book) Journalism program 28
10.1 Connect and Engage with Your Audience Using Facebook Live 28
10.1.1 Interact with your community in real time 28
10.1.2 Reach people around the world 28
10.2 Crafting Your Content 29
10.2.1 Choosing the best format 29
10.2.2 Finding relevant topics 30
10.2.3 Scheduled Live 30
10.3 Live-specific metrics 31
10.3.1 Peak Live Viewers 31
10.3.2 Audience and Engagement 31
10.4 Facebook video metrics 31
10.5 Monetizing Your Broadcasts 32
10.5.1 Branded Content tag 32
10.6 Best Practices 33
10.6.1 Before you broadcast live 33
10.6.2 During your broadcast 33
10.6.3 After your broadcast 34
10.7 Success Stories 35
10.7.1 Sports: Felipe Massa 35
10.7.2 News: Jorge Ramos 35
11 Manipulated Media 36
11.1 How can media be manipulated? 36
11.1.1 Lost Context 38
11.1.2 Edited Media 39
11.1.3 Staged Media 40
11.1.4 Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) 41
11.1.5 Synthetic Media 42
11.2 The risk associated with the following scenario: 43
11.3 New threat of Deep fake/ synthetic media 45

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11.3.1 How are deepfake videos created? 45
11.4 Identifying Deepfakes 49
11.4.1 Tracking manipulated Media 49
11.5 UGC Verification Techniques 50
11.6 Clues specific to synthetic media 51
11.7 Can deepfakes be detected automatically? 52
12 Tackling Manipulated Media 52
12.1 Breaking News Scenario 52
13 News/ Content Creation Best Practices 54
13.1 Canonical issues 54
13.1.1 Avoid creating duplicate content 54
13.2 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and Related Laws 56
13.2.1 Key Provisions of the DMCA 56
13.2.2 Related Laws 57
13.2.3 Example DMCA Takedown Notice 57
14 Meta offered Journalists Registration 58
14.1 Register as a journalist with Facebook 58
14.1.1 How to register 58
14.2 News Page index registration 58
14.3 Registration guidelines for the News Page Index 59
14.3.1 Authenticity and accountability 59
14.3.2 Requirements 60
14.3.3 News content 60
14.3.4 Misinformation 60
14.3.5 Ads and sponsored content 60
15 The Impact of AI on Web Journalism 60
15.1 Lesson Overview 61
15.2 History of AI 61
15.3 Generative AI 62
15.4 Google’s AI Principles 62
15.5 Google’s AI Tools 62
15.6 Pinpoint 62
15.7 Fact Check Explorer: Overview 63
15.8 Google Fact Check Tool APIs 64
15.8.1 Getting Started 64
15.8.2 The Google FactCheck Claim Search API 64
15.9 Gemini: Introduction 64
15.9.1 Gemini: Getting Started 64
15.9.2 Gemini: Best Practices 65
15.9.3 Gemini: Easily Check Outputs with Google Search 65
15.10 ChatGPT's Role in Web Journalism 65
15.10.1 Automated Content Generation 66
15.10.2 Data Analysis and Summarization 66
15.10.3 Research Assistance 66
15.10.4 Fact-Checking and Verification 66
15.10.5 Interview Preparation 66

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15.10.6 Multilingual Support 66
15.10.7 Enhancing Audience Engagement 66
15.10.8 Ethical Considerations 66
16 The Role of Blockchain in Journalism 67
16.1 Introduction to Blockchain in Journalism 67
16.2 Latest Developments in Blockchain and Journalism 67
16.3 Applications of Blockchain in Journalism 68
16.4 Advantages of Blockchain in Journalism 68
16.5 Challenges and Considerations 69
16.6 Conclusion 69
16.7 Further Reading and Resources 69
17 Ethics and Digital Journalism 70
17.1 Challenges to Traditional Ethics: 70
17.2 Best Practices for Ethical Digital Journalism: 70
18 News Integrity Initiative 71
18.1 Overview 71
18.2 Founding Funders 71
18.3 Administration and Leadership 71
18.4 Mission and Goals 71
18.5 Key Participants and Collaborators 72
18.6 Strategic Activities 72
18.7 Impact and Importance 72
19 The Future of Web Journalism 73
20 Building a Digital Journalism Career 73
20.1 Skills and Qualifications: 73
20.2 Career Paths: 73
20.3 Resources and Networking: 74
20.4 Tips for Success: 74
21 Free Online Digital Certification Programs 74
22 Additional Resources: 75
23 Acronyms used in this book 76

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1 Digital/ Web Journalism: A Revolution in Storytelling
1.1 Work outside traditional press
The Internet has also given rise to more participation by people who are not normally
journalists, such as with Indy Media (Max Perez).

Bloggers write on web logs or blogs and Vloggers on video sites. Traditional journalists
often do not consider bloggers and Vloggers to automatically be journalists. This has
more to do with standards and professional practices than the medium. For instance,
crowdsourcing and crowdfunding journalism attracts amateur journalists, as well as
ambitious professionals that are restrained by the boundaries set by traditional press.
However, the implication of these types of journalism is that it disregards the professional
norms of journalistic practices that ensures accuracy and impartiality of the content.

But,
as of 2005, blogging has generally gained at least more attention and has led to some
effects on mainstream journalism, such as exposing problems related to a television piece
about President George W. Bush's National Guard Service.

Recent legal judgements have determined that bloggers are entitled to the same
protections as other journalists subject to the same responsibilities. In the United States,
the Electronic Frontier Foundation has been instrumental in advocating for the rights
of journalist bloggers.

In Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that: A second preliminary question is
what the new defence should be called. In arguments before us, the defence was referred
to as the responsible journalism test. This has the value of capturing the essence of the
defence in succinct style. However, the traditional media are rapidly being complemented
by new ways of communicating on matters of public interest, many of them online, which
do not involve journalists. These new disseminators of news and information should,
absent good reasons for exclusion, be subject to the same laws as established media
outlets.

Other significant tools of on-line journalism are Internet forums, discussion
boards and chats, especially those representing the Internet version of official media. The
widespread use of the Internet all over the world created a unique opportunity to create a
meeting place for both sides in many conflicts, such as the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and
the First and Second Chechen Wars. Often this gives a unique chance to find new,
alternative solutions to the conflict, but often the Internet is turned into the battlefield by
contradicting parties creating endless "online battles."

Internet radio and podcasts are other growing independent media based on the Internet.

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1.2 Introduction and History
Digital journalism, also known as online journalism or web journalism, is a
contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet, as
opposed to publishing via print or broadcast. What constitutes digital journalism is
debated by scholars; however, the primary product of journalism, which is news and
features on current affairs, is presented solely or in combination as text, audio, video, or
some interactive forms like news games, and disseminated through digital
media technology.

Digital journalism has transformed how news is gathered, produced, and consumed. It
has democratized the flow of information, empowering individuals and communities to
contribute to the news cycle. While traditional media outlets have struggled to adapt to
the digital age, digital journalism has thrived, offering new opportunities for innovation,
engagement, and reaching global audiences.

Fewer barriers to entry, lowered distribution costs, and diverse computer
networking technologies have led to the widespread practice of digital journalism. It has
democratized the flow of information that was previously controlled by traditional media
including newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.

Some have asserted that a greater degree of creativity can be exercised with digital
journalism when compared to traditional journalism and traditional media.The digital
aspect may be central to the journalistic message and remains, to some extent, within the
creative control of the writer, editor, and/or publisher.

It has been acknowledged that reports of its growth have tended to be exaggerated.


A Brief History:
Precursors to the Internet (1970s-1980s): Early forms of digital news emerged before
the internet's arrival.
▪ Teletext (1970s): Introduced in the UK, teletext offered viewers limited access to
news, weather, and sports updates through a dedicated channel on their television
sets.
▪ Videotex (1970s-1980s): Systems like Prestel (UK) and Viewtron (US) provided
interactive news services accessible through specialized terminals. These
systems, however, lacked the widespread adoption of the internet.
▪ Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) (1980s): Using dial-up connections, BBSs
allowed users to share messages, files, and limited news content. They fostered
early online communities and showcased the potential for digital communication.

The Rise of the World Wide Web (1990s): The invention of the World Wide Web and
the development of web browsers revolutionized digital communication, providing a
platform for the explosion of digital journalism.

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▪ Early Online News Services: News organizations like The News & Observer
(Nando.net) and The Albuquerque Tribune began experimenting with online news
services, establishing early websites.
▪ Salon (1995): This pioneering online magazine showcased the potential for
independent and innovative journalism on the web.
▪ The Dot-Com Boom: The internet boom of the late 1990s witnessed a rapid
growth in online news sites and startups, attracting significant investment.

Convergence and the Rise of Social Media (2000s): Mainstream media outlets
established a strong online presence, and the internet became a primary news source for
many.
▪ Mainstream Media Embraces the Web: Organizations like CNN, BBC, and The
New York Times established robust websites and expanded their digital reach.
▪ Social Media's Impact: Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube emerged,
influencing news consumption, distribution, and public discourse. Social media
played a key role in citizen journalism and the spread of news during events like
the Arab Spring.
▪ The 24/7 News Cycle: The internet's accessibility and immediacy accelerated the
news cycle, creating constant updates and instant information.

The Era of Google and Facebook (2010s-Present): These tech giants have reshaped
the media landscape, impacting how news is accessed, consumed, and funded.
▪ Google News: This search engine aggregator has become a major source of
news for many users, shaping news consumption and influencing which stories
receive prominence.
▪ Facebook's News Feed: Facebook's personalized news feed algorithm has
become a significant driver of news distribution, raising concerns about "filter
bubbles" and the potential for misinformation.
▪ Challenges to Traditional Business Models: These platforms have attracted a
significant portion of online advertising revenue, disrupting the traditional funding
models of news organizations.

Key Characteristics of Digital Journalism:
▪ Multimedia Storytelling: Digital journalism embraces the use of text, audio,
video, images, and interactive elements to create a richer and more engaging
storytelling experience.
▪ Interactivity: Digital journalism encourages audience participation, allowing for
comments, feedback, and social sharing.
▪ Mobile-First: Content is designed and optimized for mobile devices, recognizing
the increasing consumption of news on smartphones and tablets.
▪ Global Reach: Digital journalism transcends geographical boundaries, connecting
audiences worldwide.
▪ Rapidly Evolving: The field is constantly adapting to new technologies, trends,
and platforms.

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1.3 Digital Journalism vs. Traditional Journalism:
Key Differences:
▪ Distribution: Digital journalism is primarily online, while traditional journalism
relies on print, broadcast, or cable.
▪ Accessibility: Digital journalism is generally more accessible and available to a
wider audience.
▪ Cost: Digital journalism often has lower distribution costs compared to traditional
media.
▪ Interactivity: Digital journalism offers more opportunities for audience
engagement and feedback.
▪ Speed: Digital journalism allows for faster news delivery and updates.
▪ Reach: Digital journalism has the potential to reach global audiences.
2 The Digital Media Landscape
2.1 Major Players and Platforms:
• Social Media Platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn,
WhatsApp, and others play a crucial role in news dissemination, public discourse,
and social activism.
• News Websites and Aggregators: CNN, BBC News, The New York Times, The
Guardian, Google News, and other prominent news organizations have
established strong online presences.
• Mobile Apps: News apps for smartphones and tablets are increasingly popular,
offering customized news feeds, notifications, and multimedia content.
• Podcast Platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and others have
become popular platforms for audio journalism and news podcasts.
2.2 Trends and Innovations:
• Citizen Journalism: Individuals and citizen groups contribute news reports,
analysis, and commentary through blogs, social media, and other platforms.
• Mobile Journalism (Mobile First): Journalists increasingly rely on smartphones
and tablets to gather, edit, and publish news content.
• Data Journalism: Journalists use data analysis, visualization tools, and other
techniques to reveal patterns and trends in news stories.
• Interactive Storytelling: Journalists experiment with immersive formats like 360-
degree video, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to engage audiences
in new ways.
2.3 The Influence of Algorithms:
• News Feed Algorithms: Platforms like Facebook and Twitter use algorithms to
personalize news content for each user, potentially creating "filter bubbles" and
limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Journalists employ SEO techniques to
optimize their content for search engines, ensuring greater visibility and reach.

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3 Journalism Practices in the Digital Age
3.1 Citizen Journalism
Definition: Citizen journalism refers to the creation and dissemination of news and
information by ordinary people, often through online platforms.
Pros:
▪ Greater Access to Information: Citizen journalists can provide unique
perspectives and insights from local communities.
▪ Breaking News Coverage: Citizen journalists can often share news faster than
traditional media.
▪ Community Engagement: It encourages community participation and citizen
activism.

Cons:
▪ Accuracy and Verification: Citizen journalism content may not always be
accurate or verified.
▪ Bias and Manipulation: Citizen journalists can be susceptible to bias,
misinformation, or manipulation.
▪ Lack of Professional Standards: Citizen journalists may not adhere to traditional
journalistic standards of ethics and objectivity.
3.2 Mobile Journalism (Mobile First)
Key Elements:
▪ Smartphone-Centric Reporting: Mobile devices are used to capture photos,
videos, and audio recordings, conduct interviews, and publish content.
▪ Live Streaming: Platforms like Facebook Live and Periscope allow journalists to
broadcast live events and news updates.
▪ Social Media Integration: Mobile journalists actively use social media platforms
to engage audiences, gather information, and share updates.
▪ Content Optimization: Content is tailored for mobile devices, with shorter articles,
high-quality images, and easy-to-use navigation.
3.3 Data Journalism
Data-Driven Storytelling: Journalists use data analysis, visualization tools, and other
techniques to uncover trends, patterns, and insights that support their reporting.

Data journalism involves using data analysis and visualization techniques to uncover and
tell stories. This approach can provide deeper insights into complex issues and reveal
hidden patterns. Journalists can use tools like spreadsheets, databases, and data
visualization software to analyze data and present findings in a clear and impactful
manner.

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Tools and Techniques:
▪ Data Visualization Software: Flourish, Tableau, Datawrapper, and others help
journalists create interactive charts, maps, and infographics.
▪ Spreadsheets and Databases: Excel, Google Sheets, and other tools are used
to analyze and manipulate data.
▪ Programming Languages: Python, R, and JavaScript are used for more complex
data analysis.
• Examples:
▪ Investigating environmental pollution using data on air quality.
▪ Analyzing crime statistics to reveal trends and patterns.
▪ Creating interactive maps to illustrate the spread of a disease.

Visual Story Telling and Interactive Content:
Visual storytelling and interactive content are becoming increasingly important in web
journalism. Incorporating elements such as infographics, interactive maps, and
multimedia stories can enhance reader engagement and convey complex information
more effectively. Tools like data visualization software and interactive content platforms
enable journalists to create compelling visual stories.

Engaging Audiences: Journalists experiment with immersive formats like 360-degree
video, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to enhance storytelling and create
deeper connections with audiences.

Benefits:
▪ Increased Engagement: Immersive experiences can captivate viewers and
make them feel more involved in the story.
▪ Improved Understanding: These formats can provide more context and
understanding of complex topics.
▪ New Perspectives: They can offer unique perspectives and insights that
traditional formats cannot achieve.

Examples:
▪ Using 360-degree video to transport viewers to a war zone or natural disaster.
▪ Creating an AR experience that overlays information on a real-world scene, such
as a historical landmark.
▪ Developing a VR simulation to immerse viewers in a historical event or social
issue.
3.3.1 Additional Suggested Topics
▪ Crowd-Sourced Journalism: Utilizing public contributions for news gathering and
reporting. This includes platforms and methods for collecting, verifying, and using
crowd-sourced data.
▪ Algorithmic Journalism: Exploring the use of algorithms and AI in automating
news production, including content generation, trend analysis, and personalization
of news feeds.

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▪ Ethics and Data Privacy in Journalism: Understanding the ethical
considerations and legal implications related to data collection, analysis, and
publication.
▪ Narrative Data Storytelling: Techniques for weaving data-driven insights into
compelling narratives, combining traditional journalism skills with data analysis.
▪ Data Security for Journalists: Best practices for protecting sensitive data,
ensuring secure communication, and safeguarding sources.
3.4 Social Media for Journalists
• Building Audiences: Journalists use social media platforms to connect with
audiences, share news updates, and promote their work.
• Gathering Information: Social media can be a valuable source of information,
providing insights from citizen journalists, eyewitnesses, and experts.
• Engaging in Public Discourse: Social media platforms allow journalists to
engage in conversations with readers, respond to questions, and participate in
public debates.
• Ethical Considerations: Journalists need to be mindful of potential biases,
misinformation, and the spread of fake news on social media platforms.
4 The Business of Digital Journalism
4.1 Revenue Models
▪ Advertising: Digital advertising has become a major revenue stream for online
news organizations, but it is facing challenges due to the rise of ad-blocking
software and changing consumer behavior.
▪ Subscriptions and Paywalls: News organizations are increasingly
implementing subscription models and paywalls to access premium content.
▪ Membership Programs: News organizations offer membership programs that
provide exclusive content, events, and other benefits in exchange for financial
support.
▪ Crowdfunding: Journalists and news organizations use crowdfunding
platforms like Patreon to raise funds from supporters.
▪ Partnerships and Collaborations: News organizations are forming
partnerships with other companies and organizations to diversify revenue
streams and access new audiences.
4.2 Challenges
▪ Competition: Digital news organizations face intense competition from other
websites, social media platforms, and citizen journalists.
▪ Falling Advertising Revenue: The traditional model of online advertising is
facing challenges due to the growth of ad-blocking software and the increasing
fragmentation of the digital advertising market.
▪ The Rise of Fake News: The spread of misinformation and fake news poses
a significant threat to the credibility of online news organizations.

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▪ Audience Engagement: It can be difficult to maintain audience engagement
in the increasingly competitive digital landscape.
4.3 Trends and Innovations
▪ Native Advertising: News organizations are incorporating sponsored content
that is seamlessly integrated into their editorial content.
▪ Personalized Content: News organizations are using data and algorithms to
tailor content to individual users, creating more personalized and engaging
experiences.
▪ Multimedia and Interactive Content: News organizations are investing in
multimedia and interactive content to attract and retain audiences.
▪ Diversification of Revenue Streams: News organizations are seeking to
diversify their revenue streams by exploring new models like memberships,
crowdfunding, and partnerships.
5 Content/ News Leveraging Strategies
Effective content leveraging involves maximizing the reach and impact of journalistic
content. Strategies may include:

▪ Social Media Promotion: Utilize platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and
LinkedIn to share content.
▪ Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize headlines, meta descriptions,
and keywords.
▪ Content Syndication: Share content with other media outlets and platforms.
▪ Multimedia Elements: Use videos, infographics, and interactive elements to
enhance engagement.
5.1 RSS Feed Impact in News Leveraging
RSS feeds play a vital role in distributing news content to a wider audience. By providing
a standardized format for content syndication, RSS feeds allow users to subscribe to
updates from their favorite news sources. This helps increase visibility, drive traffic, and
build reader loyalty.
5.1.1 Sample RSS Feed
https://kjayakumar.in/RssNewsFeed.ashx
5.2 Google News Feed Impact and Google Publisher
To submit RSS feeds or news links to Google Publisher for inclusion in Google News,
publishers must follow specific guidelines and submit their content for review. Once
approved, content may appear in Google News search results and news feeds, increasing
visibility and reach.

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5.3 Reasons for News Channel News Not Appearing in Google News
News channels may not appear in Google News search results due to various reasons,
including technical issues, content quality issues, or failure to comply with Google's
content policies. To ensure inclusion in Google News, publishers must adhere to quality
standards and follow best practices for news content.
5.4 Generating Effective News Feeds in Google and Social Media
Platforms
To generate effective news feeds in Google and social media platforms, publishers should
focus on producing high-quality, relevant content, optimizing metadata and headlines for
search visibility, and actively promoting content across various channels. Engaging with
audiences and leveraging analytics to refine content strategy can also enhance
effectiveness.
5.5 Coverage Issue Identification through Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides valuable insights into coverage issues affecting a
website's indexing and visibility in search results. By monitoring coverage reports,
webmasters can identify and address issues such as crawl errors, indexing problems,
and content issues that may hinder search engine visibility.
5.6 Role of Google Publisher and Google in News Indexing Process
Google Publisher and Google play essential roles in the news indexing process by
providing publishers with tools and guidelines for optimizing news content for search
visibility. Through features like Google News Publisher Center and Google News
Producer, publishers can manage their presence in Google News and ensure timely
indexing of news articles.
5.7 How Search Engine Bots Work for News Indexing and Leveraging
Search engine bots crawl news websites regularly to discover and index new content.
These bots analyze content, metadata, and other signals to determine relevance and
quality. By optimizing content for search engines and following best practices for news
SEO, publishers can improve their chances of appearing in search results and leveraging
news effectively.
5.8 Blogs
With the rise of digital media, there is a move from the traditional journalist to the blogger
or amateur journalist. Blogs can be seen as a new genre of journalism because of their
"narrative style of news characterized by personalization" that moves away from
traditional journalism's approach, changing journalism into a more conversational and
decentralized type of news. Blogging has become a large part of the transmitting of news
and ideas across cites, states, and countries, and bloggers argue that blogs themselves
are now breaking stories. Even online news publications have blogs that are written by
their affiliated journalists or other respected writers. Blogging allows readers and
journalists to be opinionated about the news and talk about it in an open environment.

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Blogs allow comments where some news outlets do not, due to the need to constantly
monitor what is posted. By allowing comments, the reader can interact with a story
instead of just absorbing the words on the screen.

However, many blogs are highly opinionated and have a bias. Some are not verified to
be true. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) established guidelines mandating that
bloggers disclose any free goods or services they receive from third parties in 2009 in
response to a question of the integrity of product and service reviews in the online
community.

The development of blogging communities has partly resulted because of the lack of local
news coverage, the spread of misinformation, and the manipulation of news. Blogging
platforms are often used as mediums to spread ideas and connect to others with similar
mentalities. Anonymity lives within these platforms that circulates different perspectives.
Some have postulated that blogs’ usage of public opinions as facts has gained them
status and creditability. Memes are often shared on these blogs due to its social
phenomenon and its relation to existing subcultures which often attain high engagement.
Traditional journalism has helped set the foundation for blogs, which are frequently used
to question mainstream media reported by journalist.
6 Online News Portals
An online newspaper or Online News Portal is the online version of a newspaper,
either as a stand-alone publication or as the online version of a printed periodical.

Going online created more opportunities for newspapers, such as competing
with broadcast journalism in presenting breaking news in a more timely manner. The
credibility and strong brand recognition of well-established newspapers, and the close
relationships they have with advertisers, are also seen by many in the newspaper industry
as strengthening their chances of survival. The movement away from the printing process
can also help decrease costs.

Online newspapers, like printed newspapers, have legal restrictions regarding libel,
privacy, and copyright, also apply to online publications in most countries as in the UK.
Also, the UK Data Protection Act applies to online newspapers and news pages. Up to
2014, the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) ruled in the UK, but there was no clear
distinction between authentic online newspapers and forums or blogs. In 2007, a ruling
was passed to formally regulate UK-based online newspapers, news audio, and news
video websites covering the responsibilities expected of them and to clear up what is, and
what isn't an online news publication.

News reporters are being taught to shoot video and to write in the succinct manner
necessary for Internet news pages. Some newspapers have attempted to integrate the
Internet into every aspect of their operations, e.g., the writing of stories for both print and
online, and classified advertisements appearing in both media, while other newspaper
websites may be quite different from the corresponding printed newspaper.

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6.1 Popularity of online articles
Not all articles published online receive the same amount of attention, there are factors
that determine their popularity. The number of times an article gets shared on social
media is relevant for activists, politicians, authors, online-publishers and advertisers.

They
thus have an interest in knowing the number of shares, preferably even predicting it before
the article is being published. With new methods of Natural Language Processing such
as Latent Dirichlet allocation it is possible to gain insights into the core characteristics of
an article.

A team of Portuguese scientists retrieved data from the website Mashable and made the
dataset publicly available. Said "dataset about online news popularity" consists of 39’644
observations and 60 possible features, that have been collected over two years from 2013
to 2015. The features consist of variables describing words, links, digital media, time,
keywords, insights from Natural Language Processing and the number of article shares.
With the dataset being publicly available, a fair amount of data analysis has been
conducted. Some can be found on the website "Kaggle". One "classification
analysis". used machine learning methods, namely, logistic regression, linear
discriminant analysis, artificial neural networks and random forests to predict the top ten
percent most frequently shared articles. The conclusion is that the average keywords
within an article and the average popularity of said keywords have the greatest impact on
the amount of shares an article receives. Moreover, the amount of links to other articles
and the closeness to the most relevant current topics are influencing the popularity of an
article heavily. On the other hand, the day of publication is less important when it comes
to predicting the popularity of the article.
6.2 News Content Optimisation
Content optimization is the process of making sure content is written in a way that it
can reach the largest possible target audience. The process of optimizing
content should include making sure associated keywords are present, adding Meta and
title tags, and relevant links.

Social media is continually changing. That means that with new information, changes in
algorithms, and variable engagement rates, the strategies behind the posts also shift. A
few years ago, the golden standard was that marketers should post 80% of useful content
about their industry and only about 20% of self-promoting material, but those days are
long over. The 80/20 rule of social media is now an outdated approach that is no longer
the best option across the board.

There is a shift in how the material is being consumed. Before, most people wanted to
learn about stuff related to the industry being promoted through a well-rounded profile,
but those posts, for the most part, are getting less attention than before. The content that
is getting more attention is self-promoting material. People who have an interest in your
brand want to hear more from you. This is, after all, why they follow your page.

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This shift has been gradual yet undeniable. Merely looking at analytics will give you an
idea of just how much change has occurred over social media channels in the past few
years. Each industry is different. With hotels, we have found that the majority of social
media users enjoy having about 80% of their feed relating to self-promotion, and only
about 20% related to other industry topics. A large number of accounts also enjoy
favorable results while implementing a 50/50 style, and yet the smallest percentage does
best when applying the old 80/20 rule. There are trends in each industry. The best fit for
you has to be determined based on the specific activity of your account. Listen to your
audience and give them what they enjoy the most so that your engagement is meaningful.
In the long-run, you will enjoy the benefits of connecting in meaningful ways with your
audience by providing them with the content they want.

Most marketers now agree that all shared content can be categorized as promotional
material. When you share your content, deals, or anything directly related to your brand,
it is a direct promotion. Branding is a huge part of social media that is bigger than that.
Anything that is shared on your channel becomes linked to your brand and promotes your
values, support, and stance. This means that all material on your platform is considered
promotional even if it is not directly promoting your brand or created by you. Keep this
useful piece of information in your back pocket when trying to decipher what strategy you
will implement on your account. This is because whatever you choose, it will end up
becoming part of your brand, so it has to be picked strategically.

Keep in mind that one of the best ways marketers refine their channels to suit the best
performing materials is to test, adjust, and analyze the results. Remember that there are
no one-size-fits-all rules. Instead, they are guidelines to make the most out of each post.
You don’t know which posts will perform the best until you publish them, but you can
make an educated guess about their performance based on past trends. That being said,
like with viral material, it might surprise you to find out that a random piece of content
becomes the best performing piece. If you happen to stumble across one despite it not
fitting past trends, by all means, promote it.

Overall, the trend across the board is that the 80/20 rules have been shifting to 50/50 and
in some industries, even 20/80. Marketers are always encouraged to test their material
to improve their strategy based on performance continuously. Take a look at your best
performing posts and learn how your social media engagement has shifted in the past
few years to decide what strategy works best for you.
6.3 News- Inbound Approach
Inbound approach is about using marketing to bring potential readers or viewers to your
news content, rather than having your marketing efforts fight for their attention. Sharing
is caring and inbound approach is about creating and sharing content with the world. By
creating content specifically designed to appeal to your dream audience, inbound attracts
qualified prospects to your business and keeps them coming back for more.

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6.4 Make Marketing People Love
By publishing the right content in the right place at the right time, your marketing becomes
relevant and helpful to your readers, not interruptive. Now that’s marketing people can
love.

Alignment of Content, Platforms and time will bring the best results
6.5 News Schema and Semantic Markup (rNews Standard)*
It helps to generate more reach and thereby enhancing Adv revenue, rNews is an
approved standard for using semantic markup to annotate news-specific metadata in
HTML documents. rNews has been developed by The International Press
Telecommunications Council (IPTC) , a consortium of the world’s major news agencies,
news publishers and news industry vendors.

Schema.org's original vocabulary for News was created in collaboration with the IPTC
rNews initiative. Many of the proposed and pending improvements described here are
based on the work of The Trust Project. Specifically the clarifications and new types
around NewsArticle were inspired by and largely based on the "type of work"
indicators identified there, while the addition of publishing principles sub-properties was
motivated by the Trust Project's analysis of "best practices" indicators.

A published news having more traffic and reach can be converted into News Artcle
Schema.

An Article can be considered a NewsArticle even if contains inaccuracies, mixes opinion
with factual claims, or diverges in other ways from ideal journalistic best practice.
ReportageNewsArticle represents a more restricted sense of "news" corresponding to
journalistic best practices. NewsArticles can include various kinds of best practice
declaration that explicitly indicate the standards, policies and transparency mechanisms
that a news source has adopted, see publishingPrinciples and its subproperties.

Routine NewsArtcle schema update is recommended for generating more traffic to the
news in an organic way, NewsArtcle Schema and eNews Standard will enrich the search
outcome in a more systematic and effective way.

https://schema.org/docs/news.html
https://schemantra.com/schema2/create_schema_properties/
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/article
6.6 The Need for News Schema Integration
As part of Google's latest algorithm update, known as BERT, the integration of schema
code, particularly RDFa (Resource Description Framework in attributes), has become a
mandatory practice for establishing a robust online presence for online newspapers and
publishing houses. This integration allows for the generation of featured snippets, which
play a crucial role in driving organic traffic to news websites.

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By neglecting this integration, publishers miss out on potential opportunities to improve
their search rankings, increase organic traffic, and provide users with more informative
and engaging search results. It is essential for students to understand and implement
these practices to excel in the field of web journalism.
6.7 Importance of Schema Integration
▪ Improved Search Rankings: Proper schema markup helps search engines
understand the content better, leading to higher search rankings.
▪ Enhanced Visibility: Generates rich snippets in search results, making the
content more attractive and clickable.
▪ Better User Experience: Provides users with more relevant and structured
information directly in search results.
6.8 Key Components of News Schema
For more detailed information, you can refer to the following link:
https://schema.org/docs/news.html. This resource provides guidance on generating a
news media organization schema for your website. It outlines the mandatory components
that need to be integrated into the schema, including:

▪ URL: Policy URL
▪ Address
▪ Alternative Name (if any)
▪ Area Served
▪ Awards (if any)
▪ URL: Correction Policy: A statement describing the news media/newsroom's
disclosure and correction policy for errors.
▪ A Brief Description of Your Company
▪ Disambiguating Description (if any): Including dissolution date, if applicable.
▪ URL: Diversity Policy: A statement describing the newsroom's diversity policy for
both staffing and sources, typically providing staff data.
▪ URL: Diversity Staffing Report: A report on staffing diversity issues; in a news
context, this might be from organizations such as the News Paper Association of
India (NAI), The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), The
American Society of News Editors (ASNE), or self-reported.
▪ Company Incorporation No. (CIN or any other identifier)
▪ Email
▪ URL: Ethics Policy
▪ Fax Number (Optional)
▪ Founding Date
▪ Postal PIN Number
▪ Keyword List Related to the News Organization: e.g., Top Malayalam online
newspaper, etc.
▪ Languages
▪ Legal Name

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▪ URL: Masthead: A link to the masthead page or a page listing top editorial
management.
▪ URL: Mission Coverage Priorities Policy: A statement on coverage policies,
including any public agenda or stance on issues.
▪ Membership (if any)
▪ URL: No Bylines Policy: An article explaining when authors of articles are not
named in bylines.
▪ Ownership Funding Information (optional): Basic funder information (machine-
readable).
▪ URL: Publishing Principles
▪ Slogan (text): Slogan or motto associated with the publisher.
▪ Tax ID
▪ Telephone
▪ URL: Unnamed Source Policy: A statement about the policy on the use of
unnamed sources and the decision process required.
▪ VAT ID (Optional)
▪ URL: Verification Fact-Checking Policy
▪ Google Map Link
6.8.1 Example of News Article Schema Markup
<html>
<head>
<title>Title of a News Article</title>
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Title of a News Article",
"image": [
"https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo.jpg",
"https://example.com/photos/4x3/photo.jpg",
"https://example.com/photos/16x9/photo.jpg"
],
"datePublished": "2024-01-05T08:00:00+08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-02-05T09:20:00+08:00",
"author": [{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Jane Doe",
"url": "https://example.com/profile/janedoe123"
},{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "John Doe",
"url": "https://example.com/profile/johndoe123"
}],
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",

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"name": "The Example Times",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://example.com/photos/logo.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 60
}
},
"description": "A brief description of the news article."
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>

By incorporating this technology update into the curriculum, we can provide students with
the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive in the rapidly evolving field of web journalism.
Understanding and implementing News Schema integration is crucial for ensuring content
is accurately indexed and prominently displayed in search results, ultimately driving more
traffic and engagement.
7 Enhanced News Leveraging Online
This topic provides a comprehensive overview of essential tools and strategies to amplify
online news distribution. Participants will learn the significance and implementation of
RSS feeds, which automate content delivery to subscribers, and news sitemaps, which
help search engines efficiently index news articles. The course also covers the role of
Google Publisher in optimizing news content for Google's news platform, ensuring wider
reach and visibility. Additionally, it addresses common coverage issues, providing
solutions to enhance the completeness and accuracy of news reporting, ultimately
boosting audience engagement and trust.
7.1 How News Sitemap Can Enhance News Leveraging
A news sitemap is a specialized XML file that provides search engines with information
about news articles on a website. By including publication dates, titles, and other
metadata, a news sitemap helps search engines crawl and index news content more
efficiently. This can enhance the visibility and accessibility of news articles, leading to
increased traffic and readership.

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7.1.1 Example News Sitemap
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"
xmlns:news="http://www.google.com/schemas/sitemap-news/0.9">
<url>
<loc>http://www.example.org/business/article55.html</loc>
<news:news>
<news:publication>
<news:name>The Example Times</news:name>
<news:language>en</news:language>
</news:publication>
<news:publication_date>2024-06-30</news:publication_date>
<news:title> New Media training and courses in Kerala</news:title>
</news:news>
</url>
</urlset>
7.2 RSS Feed Impact in News Leveraging
RSS feeds play a vital role in distributing news content to a wider audience. By providing
a standardized format for content syndication, RSS feeds allow users to subscribe to
updates from their favorite news sources. This helps increase visibility, drive traffic, and
build reader loyalty.
7.2.1 Sample RSS Feed
https://kjayakumar.in/RssNewsFeed.ashx
.ashx files are web-handler files in asp.net programming and define IHttpHandler
interface. Whenever an .ashx file is requested, ProcessRequest() method is invoked
automatically.

https://www.streisandmedia.com/feed.xml , Here RSS feed is an . xml file that contains
your newest content. News aggregators, feed readers, email subscriptions, and podcast
lists all pull content from RSS feeds.
7.3 Google News and Feed Impact in Google Publisher
To submit RSS feeds or news links to Google Publisher for inclusion in Google News,
publishers must follow specific guidelines and submit their content for review. Once
approved, content may appear in Google News search results and news feeds, increasing
visibility and reach.

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7.4 News Feeds in Google and Social Media Platforms
To generate effective news feeds in Google and social media platforms, publishers
should:
▪ Produce High-Quality, Relevant Content: Focus on accuracy, relevance, and
timeliness.
▪ Optimize Metadata and Headlines: Use clear, descriptive headlines and meta
descriptions.
▪ Actively Promote Content: Share articles across various social media channels.
▪ Engage with Audiences: Respond to comments and feedback.
▪ Leverage Analytics: Use data to refine content strategy.
7.5 Reasons for News Channel News Not Appearing in Google News
News channels may not appear in Google News search results due to various reasons,
including technical issues, content quality issues, or failure to comply with Google's
content policies. To ensure inclusion in Google News, publishers must adhere to quality
standards and follow best practices for news content.
7.5.1 Coverage Issue and Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides valuable insights into coverage issues affecting a
website's indexing and visibility in search results. By monitoring coverage reports,
webmasters can identify and address issues such as crawl errors, indexing problems,
and content issues that may hinder search engine visibility.
7.5.2 Role of Google Publisher and Google in News Indexing Process
Google Publisher and Google play essential roles in the news indexing process by
providing publishers with tools and guidelines for optimizing news content for search
visibility. Through features like Google News Publisher Center and Google News
Producer, publishers can manage their presence in Google News and ensure timely
indexing of news articles.
7.5.3 Search Engine Bots and News Indexing and Leveraging
Search engine bots crawl news websites regularly to discover and index new content.
These bots analyze content, metadata, and other signals to determine relevance and
quality. By optimizing content for search engines and following best practices for news
SEO, publishers can improve their chances of appearing in search results and leveraging
news effectively.

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8 NewsSchema (Article, NewsArticle, BlogPosting) and
Structured Data
Adding Article structured data to your news, blog, and sports article pages can help
Google understand more about the web page and show better title text, images, and date
information for the article in search results on Google Search and other properties (e.g.,
Google News and the Google Assistant). While there's no markup requirement to be
eligible for Google News features like Top stories, you can add Article to more explicitly
tell Google what your content is about.
8.1 News Article Example
<html>
<head>
<title>Title of a News Article</title>
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Title of a News Article",
"image": [
"https://example.com/photos/1x1/photo.jpg",
"https://example.com/photos/4x3/photo.jpg",
"https://example.com/photos/16x9/photo.jpg"
],
"datePublished": "2024-01-05T08:00:00+08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-02-05T09:20:00+08:00",
"author": [{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Jane Doe",
"url": "https://example.com/profile/janedoe123"
},{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "John Doe",
"url": "https://example.com/profile/johndoe123"
}]
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body> </html>

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8.2 News Structured Data Example
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/news/if-you-avoid-these-four-excuses-you-
can-achieve-success-in-life"
},
"headline": "Can achieve success in life If avoid these four excuses",
"description": "ഈ നാല് ഒഴിവുകിഴിവ് പറച്ചിൽ ഒഴിവാക്കിയാൽ ജീവിത
വിജയം കകവരിക്കാം ",
"image": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url":
"https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/image/image.php?src=/uploads/news/0811231699407
206743140924.png&w=762",
"width": "762",
"height": "461"
},
"author": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Soumya",
"url": "https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/author/soumya"
}
],
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "The Local Economy",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/themes/user/images/Logo.png",
"width": "300",
"height": "124"
}
},
"datePublished": "2023-08-11T00:00:00+00:00",
"dateModified": "2023-08-11T00:00:00+00:00"
}
</script>

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8.3 News Schema code Example
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/news/ways-to-overcome-the-feeling-of-fear"
},
"headline": "Ways to overcome the feeling of fear",
"description": "ഭയം എന്ന വികാരത്തെ തരണം ത്തെയ്യാനുള്ള മാർഗങ്ങൾ",
"image": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url":
"https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/image/image.php?src=/uploads/news/1911231700357
4951498932230.png&w=762",
"width": "762",
"height": "461"
},
"author": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Soumya",
"url": "https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/author/soumya"
}
],
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "The Local Economy",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://www.thelocaleconomy.in/themes/user/images/Logo.png",
"width": "300",
"height": "124"
}
},
"datePublished": "2023-11-19T00:00:00+00:00",
"dateModified": "2023-11-19T00:00:00+00:00"
}
</script>

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9 News Algorithms
In web journalism and online news, several Google algorithms play a crucial role in
determining how content is indexed, ranked, and presented to users. Here are some key
algorithms:
9.1 Google News Algorithm:
This specific algorithm curates news stories from various sources, prioritizing freshness,
relevance, and authority. It uses factors like timeliness, originality, diversity of content,
and user preferences.
9.2 Panda Algorithm:
Focuses on content quality, penalizing sites with low-quality, thin, or duplicate content.
It's essential for web journalists to produce high-quality, original content to avoid being
penalized by Panda.
9.3 Penguin Algorithm:
Targets sites with spammy or manipulative backlink profiles. Journalists and news sites
must focus on earning natural, authoritative backlinks to avoid penalties.
9.4 Hummingbird Algorithm:
Enhances Google's ability to understand the context and intent behind search queries,
making it important for news content to be well-optimized for relevant keywords and
search intent.
9.5 RankBrain:
An AI-based component of Google's search algorithm that helps understand complex
queries and deliver more relevant results. It emphasizes user engagement metrics like
click-through rates and dwell time, making engaging and well-structured news content
vital.
9.6 Mobile-First Indexing:
Prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search rankings. News sites must ensure their
content is optimized for mobile devices to perform well in search results.
9.7 BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers):
Improves understanding of the nuances and context of words in search queries. This
makes it essential for news content to be contextually relevant and well-written.

By understanding and optimizing for these algorithms, web journalists and online
news platforms can improve their visibility and ranking in Google search results.

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10 Meta (Face Book) Journalism program
The Meta Journalism Project is an initiative by Meta (formerly Facebook) aimed at
supporting high-quality journalism and fostering a sustainable news ecosystem. Through
partnerships with news organizations, programs, and training, the project seeks to
enhance the skills of journalists, promote innovation in newsrooms, and ensure diverse,
reliable news coverage. The initiative also focuses on combating misinformation,
improving news literacy, and providing tools and resources to help journalists effectively
engage with their audiences in the digital age. This project underscores Meta's
commitment to empowering the journalism community and supporting the critical role of
news in society.
10.1 Connect and Engage with Your Audience Using Facebook Live
Whether it’s from the red carpet of a film premiere or the scene of a news event, live
videos have been broadcasted and shared with people around the world using Facebook
Live. It's an easy, powerful way for anyone — including public figures and news publishers
— to connect with and inform their communities in real time.

With Facebook Live, you can...Tell your story, your way

Take full control of your broadcast and use our suite of creative tools — like filters, fun
masks, and colorful doodles — to communicate in a way that’s authentic to you or the
organization you represent.
10.1.1 Interact with your community in real time
Answer your followers’ questions in real time, hear what’s on their minds, and see their
live reactions.
10.1.2 Reach people around the world
Not only can your live content help you create a more personal connection with your
followers, but you can reach more people even after you’re done broadcasting. Just save
the video after you’re finished going live, and it’ll be available on your Timeline so
followers can share (and rewatch!) the content.

Let’s first take a look at how to start your own live video. Unless you’re broadcasting via
the Live API, you’ll just need the following:

▪ A Wi-Fi or data connection
▪ A smartphone or desktop
▪ A Pages Manager, Facebook Creator app, Facebook app (mobile), or logged in to
Facebook from a browser (desktop)

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10.2 Crafting Your Content
You may be wondering what exactly you’ll be talking about once you’re ready to go live.
Facebook Live gives you the power to create content in a variety of ways, so it’s really up
to you and how you want to engage your community.
10.2.1 Choosing the best format
To get started, try some of the following formats to engage your community.

▪ Discuss hot topics: Share what’s on your mind, whether it’s thoughts on current
events or your reaction to something that happened in your life.

▪ Host a Q&A: Build a personal connection with the people who are interested in
what you have to say. Answer questions from your followers during a live
broadcast.

▪ Report the news: Arrive on the scene of a news event? Share what you’re seeing
with people all around the world so they can witness it firsthand, too.

▪ Interview someone: Similar to a Q&A, you can broadcast an interview with your
friends, colleagues, or experts.

▪ Perform live: Give your followers a front-row seat to the action, whether you’re
warming up during basketball practice or celebrating a big win.

▪ Go behind the scenes: Make everything around you the star of the show – let all
of the action unfold on camera.

▪ Watch-with*: Watch your favorite show, movie, event, or live video with your
community.

▪ Show a demo: Teach people how to cook, play music, learn about current events,
and more.

▪ Host a reading: Share a chapter from your newest book or give your viewers a
sneak peek at the script for your upcoming movie.

▪ Share gaming experiences: Invite people to watch your every turn, goal, and
shot, and chat about tactics in real time with other game enthusiasts.

NB: Please make sure your live video complies with Facebook's Statement of Rights and
Responsibilities, which applies to all content you upload to or through Facebook. This
includes only broadcasting content for which you own and/or control all rights (or have
obtained all necessary licenses/permissions to such rights), globally, including rights in
any sound recordings or musical compositions included in the video and any performers

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appearing in it. Make sure to keep the camera on you, and never broadcast the unfolding
event, including what is on a stage, field, or any screens.
10.2.2 Finding relevant topics
Along with choosing the right format for your broadcast, finding relevant topics that your
fans and followers will find interesting is important, too. The topics people talk about when
they go Live can vary depending on the industry they’re in. We’ve compiled a list of ways
you can use Live based on your needs and the amount of time you have to dedicate to
your broadcast, whether it’s 10 minutes or up to the maximum four hours.
10.2.3 Scheduled Live
You can plan your broadcasts ahead of time to build anticipation. Use Scheduled Live to
let people opt in to get in-app notifications to remind them when you're going live. They
can tap Get Reminder to receive the notification.

A few minutes before your broadcast officially starts, people who tapped Get
Reminder will be prompted to join the lobby (a communal place to virtually wait for your
broadcast to start). The lobby is interactive and people can leave comments and chat with
others while they wait.

Live Audio: Sometimes your story doesn’t lend itself to visuals and you want your
followers and fans to focus on your words. Or maybe you don’t have a very strong Wi-Fi
or data connection to go live with video. In either case, you can opt for an audio-only live
broadcast. Just as with a live video on Facebook, people can still discover your audio-
only content in News Feed, ask questions, and leave comments in real time.

One key distinction between a live video and live audio-only broadcast is that iOS listeners
will be able to continue listening as they browse other parts of Facebook.

To use audio only, you'll follow the same steps as if you were going live with video, except
you'll tap the microphone icon at the top of your mobile device before you tap on Go Live.
In addition to writing a description, you'll also have the option to add a display photo.
People will see this static image for the duration of your broadcast.

Live Audio is currently available for all Verified Pages that go live from the Android mobile
app. You must start your broadcast in audio mode and can't switch to and from video
during your broadcast.

Themes: Want visual effects? Use themes to add masks, filters, and colorful doodles
anytime during your live broadcast.

Just tap the magic wand icon in the top-right corner of your screen (before or during your
broadcast), and select from the options that appear at the bottom of your screen.

Accessories: Remember, broadcasting via the Live API allows you to use professional
cameras for your videos. If you prefer not to use the Live API, you can still create higher

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quality videos by transforming your phone into a professional camera using a variety of
accessories. This can include microphones, lights, tripods and rigs.

Knowing how your broadcast performs (like how your community has engaged with your
content and for how long) will guide you on the type of content that resonates with your
audience. This can help you create better, richer content for future broadcasts.

Now let's look at an overview of all the metrics you’ll have access to via Page Insights,
starting with metrics available only for Live videos, followed with video metrics that are
available for all video content published to Facebook.
10.3 Live-specific metrics
10.3.1 Peak Live Viewers
This shows the highest number of concurrent viewers who viewed your live broadcast for
at least three seconds. The curve you see in the graph shows the number of concurrent
viewers watching different points of your live broadcast for at least three seconds.
10.3.2 Audience and Engagement
The Video Engagement graph shows you how aggregate audiences engaged at specific
points during a Live broadcast. This means you can see specific points throughout your
broadcast of when people were moved to react to, comment on, or share the video.

You can select a moment of interest on the engagement graph and wa tch the
corresponding video clip. This can give you insight into what type of content resonated
most with your viewers.
10.4 Facebook video metrics
Minutes viewed: This is the total number of minutes your video was watched, including
replays and views less than three seconds.

Unique Viewers: This is the number of distinct people who viewed your video at least
once. We’ll show you a breakdown of people who viewed your video organically and
through paid media (like a boosted post).

3-second Video Views: This is the number of times your video was played for an
aggregate of at least three seconds, or for nearly its total length, whichever happened
first. There are several video views metrics you can find, such as three seconds, ten
seconds, etc. You’ll also see a breakdown of the percentage of people who viewed your
video with sound on versus sound off. Time spent replaying the video for a single
impression won't be included.

10-Second Video Views: This is the number of times your video was played for at least
10 seconds, or for nearly its total length, whichever happened first. Similar to Video Views,
we’ll show you a breakdown of the percentage of people who viewed your video with

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sound on versus sound off. Time spent replaying the video for a single impression won't
be included.

Video Average Watch Time: This is calculated as:
Total watch time of your video / Total number of video plays (including replays)

If you see a point in your video with a large drop off, look at your content to understand
which parts of your video might not have been as engaging to people. You can select a
specific moment on the engagement graph to watch the corresponding video clip.

Note: This metric does not count live video sessions.

Audience and Engagement:
These metrics show:
▪ People Reached (organic and paid)
▪ Post Engagement (including total clicks to play, reactions, comments, and shares)
▪ Video Engagement
▪ Top Audience*: Minutes viewed by age and gender
▪ Top Location*: Minutes viewed by top geographic locations

*This data will be available once your video has had a total of 100 viewers.
10.5 Monetizing Your Broadcasts
10.5.1 Branded Content tag
▪ If you’re a Verified Page with a blue badge and monetizing your Facebook Live
content in partnership with a third party, you must use the Branded Content tag.

▪ Branded Content is anything that mentions or features a sponsor. For example, if
you’re a beauty blogger demonstrating the latest makeup tips and working with a
cosmetics company as a sponsor, you need to use the Branded Content tag to
follow Facebook’s policies.

▪ Third parties who are tagged in your post can see a high-level overview of:

▪ Your video’s organic reach and engagement.

▪ Total ad spend and cost per impressions (CPM) if you choose to promote your
video via Facebook ads.

▪ Your video sponsors can also share your video organically or boost the post to
help you increase your reach.

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10.6 Best Practices
Now that you have an idea of how you’ll shape your content, here are some tips to help
you best engage, inform, and entertain your audience before, during and after your
broadcast.
10.6.1 Before you broadcast live
▪ Build anticipation: Tell fans ahead of time when you’ll be going live. You can do
this by posting a quick message to your Page. We’ve found one day’s notice is
enough time to build awareness.

▪ Solicit questions: Ask your audience to submit questions via the comments
section so you have a pipeline of topics to discuss during your broadcast. This is
a great way to engage with your audience before your interview begins.

If you're not getting enough questions, or you want to discuss other topics, come up with
questions on your own before your broadcast to keep the conversation flowing.

You should also include a description of your broadcast that best describes the content
you’ll be discussing.

▪ Test your data or Wi-Fi connection: Live videos lose viewers when the
connection drops or the broadcast is delayed or blurry because of a bad
connection.

We recommend using Facebook Live only if you have a strong Wi-Fi or 4G connection.
You can download one of a variety of mobile apps to check if your mobile connection is
strong. Facebook Live requires a connection that's faster than 10 MBPS. If your signal
isn't strong enough, you’ll notice that the Go Live button is gray (this is a signifier that your
connection is weak). Once you have a better connection the button will become available
again.
10.6.2 During your broadcast
▪ Give people time to join: Many viewers tune in during the first couple of minutes
of a broadcast. While you’re waiting for the audience to grow, we recommend using
this time to introduce who's on the broadcast, welcome the early viewers and go
over what you plan to do.

▪ Interact with viewers: The power of Facebook Live is the real-time interaction.
You can have a more successful broadcast if you let viewers participate by asking
questions. Remind your viewers that they can submit questions as comments and
try mentioning viewers’ names when responding to their comments or questions.

▪ Invite a friend: You can also use Live With to add a friend to your Live broadcast.
This could be a fun and interesting way to interview someone and add a communal
dynamic to your normal Live routine.

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▪ Manage the conversation with pinned comments: Similar to how you can pin a
post on your Page, you can pin a comment to the bottom of your video, making it
even easier to manage engagement while interacting with your community.

This is helpful if you want to:
▪ Shape the conversation by showing the audience what you want to talk about.
▪ Promote quality commenting by giving the audience a prompt to react to.
▪ Enable you to share information you want your audience to see, understand, or
engage with.
▪ Make it easy to remember the question you’re answering during a Q&A.

A pinned comment will remain visible on the bottom of the screen, to both you and
viewers, while other comments will continue to appear above it in real time.

While there isn’t a limit to the number of comments you can pin during a broadcast, keep
in mind that you can only pin one comment at a time. When you pin a new comment, it’ll
automatically replace the existing pinned comment.

Broadcast for longer periods of time: The longer you broadcast, the more likely people
are to discover and invite their friends on Facebook to watch the video. Keep in mind the
maximum length of a broadcast is four hours. We recommend that live videos last at least
10 minutes, if possible.

Signal the end of your broadcast: Don’t leave people hanging or end a broadcast
abruptly. Instead, use a closing line to let people know that you’re done. If you already
know when you’re broadcasting with Facebook Live again, mention that too and
encourage people to tune in next time.
10.6.3 After your broadcast
▪ Save the video: Once you end your broadcast, you'll have the option to delete or
publish the video to your Page or profile. Once published, you can delete the video
post at any time, but we recommend keeping the video so people who weren't able
to watch the broadcast live can access it later. Additional viewers can share the
broadcast, increasing your overall views.

▪ Update the description: Providing a detailed description before your broadcast is
just as helpful as the description you use after your broadcast. Did something
exciting happen while you were broadcasting live? Were there unexpected topics
that came up? Just tap Edit on the video post and include these types of highlights
in an updated description to add more interesting elements and boost discovery.

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10.7 Success Stories
10.7.1 Sports: Felipe Massa
Brazilian racing driver Felipe Massa published a video in which his 7-year-old son,
Felipinho, challenged Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo to a Crazy Kart race at his
home.

After stating that he could take Felipinho's taunts no longer, Ricciardo accepted the
challenge by posting a message on his Facebook Page, as well as uploading a video on
Instagram and Youtube.

On the scheduled date of the race, Felipe Massa started the Facebook Live video on his
Page at the scheduled time. After the presentations and a warm-up lap, Felipinho and
Ricciardo did ten thrilling laps around the balcony of the driver's home. Little Felipinho
won the race.

Massa's and Ricciardo's fans loved the idea. Many of their fans praised the race, saying
that lighthearted games like this make people like Formula One even more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aGu8O4wpcs

Results
▪ 10k people watched the live race
▪ 276k people reached through the first video
▪ 4.7 million people saw the race in the two weeks following the broadcast
Felipe Massa – Facebook Success Stories
https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/success-stories/felipe-massa
10.7.2 News: Jorge Ramos
Veteran journalist and author Jorge Ramos currently anchors newscasts on two networks,
in two languages, for two audiences: Univisión’s Noticiero Univision and Al Punto, two of
the top-rated Spanish-language newscasts in the US and America with Jorge Ramos on
FUSION, Ramos’s first English-language broadcast. He has covered major global events
ranging from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the current war in Afghanistan.

In 2015, Ramos began using Facebook Live as part of his FUSION news offering before
expanding it to Univision coverage. Ramos saw his public reach expand through
Facebook and quickly became a big proponent of social media and live video as being
the future of television.

Through a live video in both English and Spanish, Ramos announced that his coverage
of the Iowa caucuses would not be done live on television, but live on Facebook instead.

Results
▪ 1.1 million video views of Ramos’ live broadcast from Iowa in the first 24 hours
▪ 3.2x more new fans daily during the three days in which he promoted his live
activity

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11 Manipulated Media
Identifying and Tackling Manipulated Media aims to help newsrooms around the world
equip themselves to identify manipulated media.

In this session, which encompasses real world examples, hypothetical cases and insights
into the evolving technology used to create and detect manipulated media including
‘deepfakes’ – teaches journalists about the various types of altered media and the ways
in which newsrooms can confidently verify and publish truthful content from third-party
sources.

THE SPREAD OF INACCURATE AND MISLEADING IN FORMATION IS A
SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING GLOBAL PROBLEM.

THE SPREAD OF INACCURATE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION IS A
SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING GLOBAL PROBLEM. IT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE
FOR JOURNALISTS AND A SOURCE OF ALARM FOR GOVERNMENTS,
INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Some of the most powerful and widely-shared misinformation comes in the form of
manipulated video, pictures and audio. At Reuters News Agency, they have encountered
and rejected large amounts of misleading media. This course draws on their expertise to
show you real examples, hypothetical cases and insight into the evolving technology used
to create and detect manipulations – including the new threat of so-called deepfakes.
11.1 How can media be manipulated?
WE REGULARLY ENCOUNTER VIDE O AND PICTURES WHICH DO NOT
FAITHFULLY REPRESENT THE SITUATION THEY ARE SAID TO SHOW. HOWEVER,
THE WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE UNFAITHFUL IS VARIABLE – AND OFTEN
SIGNIFICANT.

We can plot the different categories of manipulated media that may be encountered in
newsrooms on a scale that takes into account the degree of interference involved. The
following are examples inspired by Reuter team’s experiences.

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WAYS TO MANIPULATE MEDIA:










▪ Lost Context
▪ Edited Media
▪ Staged Media
▪ Computer-Generated Imagery
▪ Synthetic Media

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11.1.1 Lost Context
THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF MANIPULATED MEDIA
ENCOUNTERED BY NEWSROOMS GLOBALLY.
The content itself is authentic, and it has not been edited or fabricated, so it is not truly
‘manipulated’. However, it is presented to the journalist with information that does not
represent what is seen in the photograph or video.

VIDEO MISSING CONTEXT OF EVENT
Authentic videos, which have not been manipulated and were captured at the specified
time and place, may nonetheless be highly misleading if they show a very selective
portion of the event. This may be deliberate, if a person is motivated to frame an event in
a certain way, or it may be accidental, if a witness has not understood the scene playing
out in front of them.

EXAMPLE
A short video taken by a passer-by shows a man with a metal bar standing threateningly
by another man. He appears about to engage in violence, but it later emerges that he was
discouraging the other individual, who was a terror suspect, from fleeing.

VIDEO DEPICTING A DIFFERENT OCCURRENCE
During almost every major news event, video from previous incidents – often in entirely
unrelated locations – may be ‘recycled’ and shared along with a description linking it to
the ongoing event. This may be deliberate, from users hoping to sow fear or anger, but it
may also be accidental, if media is not adequately captioned before it is shared.

EXAMPLE
A file picture is used to illustrate a news story about a wave of urban protests. Some
readers do not notice the caption, which states that it is from the previous year, and share
the image as though it were contemporaneous.

REAL LIFE CASE STUDY – ‘RECYCLED’ FOOTAGE

The claim: This video was shared in October 2019 with the caption “Mexico is in a virtual
state of war” at the time of violent clashes in the Mexican city of Culiacan, Sinaloa,
between drug cartel gunmen and the military.

The reality: This video is authentic. However, it was not filmed in Culiacan in October
2019. It was filmed in February 2017 by an eyewitness who captured the moment Mexican
marines fired from a helicopter during clashes with drug cartel members in a city called
Tepic in Nayarit.

The impact: This video was among many clips shared around the time of the violence in
Culiacan that were not current. Videos showing helicopters in Syria and in Turkey were
also posted to social media, with misleading captions. While some social media users
identified the old footage, others expressed horror at what they saw – clearly believing
the footage was contemporaneous.

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Notes: Recycled footage is a particular problem when a news event has occurred more
than once in the same location. You may be able to confirm the location and identify the
event – but can you prove the date?
11.1.2 Edited Media
EDITED VIDEO COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES, FROM CLIPPING AND
CROPPING, TO SPEED CHANGES, AUDIO ALTERATION, AND CHANGES IN COLOR
OR QUALITY.

Of course, newsrooms also edit video to present reports, so the intention of the editor is
important. If the material is edited with no attempt to be a faithful representation of events,
or important aspects of it are changed in order to present an alternative reality, then the
edited video can be considered to be manipulated media.

SELECTIVE CLIPPING
The video is authentic, but parts are seen in isolation or stitched together to create a
different impression.

EXAMPLE
A politician is filmed watching her party leader give a very lengthy address. Occasionally
she is seen yawning or looking down at a phone. These moments are cut and spliced
together, giving the impression that she has failed to pay attention to the speech.

AUDIO ALTERATION
The video is authentic, but the audio track is removed, spliced, replaced, subjected to
speed changes or supplemented.

EXAMPLE
A video captures the moment a helicopter falls from the sky, and in the background
militants can be heard celebrating and claiming responsibility. However, this audio was
taken from an earlier video and replaced the natural sound of the clip.

CHANGES IN QUALITY
The original photo or video is authentic, but post-production has changed the lighting,
color, texture or framing.

EXAMPLE
A resident takes a picture of heavy storm clouds in his city ahead of a hurricane warning.
He adds a filter using his favorite app, which makes the sky seem much darker and
significantly more threatening.

REAL LIFE CASE STUDY - EDITED FOOTAGE
The claim: This video showed Nancy Pelosi speaking in a slow, drawling manner at a
conference.

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The reality: This video had been slowed so it was around 75% of its normal speed, and
a pitch preservation option checked so that the voice of Nancy Pelosi was not noticeably
deeper.

The impact: This video saw millions of views globally and is likely to be recalled by many,
even though it is likely that most viewers were aware it had been edited.

11.1.3 Staged Media
IN THESE CASES, THE VISUAL CONTENT HAS NOT BEEN DOCTORED OR EDITED.

However, the situation depicted has been pre-planned or selectively filmed. This may not
be for malicious reasons – clearly, video of a drama performance would fall into this
category. However, if the video is then shared as though real, we may consider it to be
an example of manipulated media.

CREATIVELY STAGED MEDIA
Pranks, stunts and ‘planted’ participants are often used to make amusing or dramatic
videos/pictures that are intended to go viral.

EXAMPLE
A celebrity is seemingly pictured using a particularly old model of mobile phone,
prompting mass online discussion. It is later revealed to be the work of a technology
marketing company, who employed a lookalike for a photoshoot, in a location visited by
the actual celebrity earlier that day.

DECEPTIVELY STAGED MEDIA
A situation is planned, enacted, filmed and then shared in an effort to influence public
opinion.

EXAMPLE
Members of a group film a video on a mobile phone that appears to show a street
mugging. The alleged muggers are of a particular racial group. However, they are not
muggers but youths who have been paid to act in the video. The video is shared alongside
a report that claims violent crime committed by that racial group has risen dramatically.

REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY: CREATIVELY STAGED FOOTAGE

The claim: A video widely shared on social media claimed this video showed the moment
Croatian firefighters had to leave their posts just at the moment their team was about to
beat Russia on penalties in the 2018 soccer World Cup.

The reality: In an initial Facebook post, the firefighters posted the video along with a
request to people not to use flares when celebrating soccer. They never claimed the video
was authentic CCTV – and it was not. They acted out the situation after being inspired by
a real experience.

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The impact: The video was widely shared by people who believed it to be fully authentic,
and several media headlines gave that indication too. Due to the subject matter, the
misleading use of this content was harmless. But it showed how easily staged content
can be interpreted as real.
11.1.4 Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)
COMPUTER-GENERATED IMAGERY REQUIRES A HIGH DEGREE OF SKILL IN
ORDER TO CREATE REALISTIC -LOOKING RESULTS.

Some videos using CGI have been created by practitioners looking to show off their skills.
Others aim to deliberately deceive. Sometimes videos that are from entertainment
sources or even entirely created from computer imagery may be presented as though
real.

CGI IN CREATIVE WORKS
Computer-driven special effects are a fundamental part of many films and shows. When
they appear in context, the viewer will know they are seeing a fantasy scene. However,
clips from the world of cinema and TV are sometimes shared as though they are
connected to actual events.

EXAMPLE
A scene from a little-known movie depicting a catastrophic tsunami is shared on social
media at the time of a genuine tsunami warning, causing confusion and panic.

CGI APPLIED TO EXISTING FOOTAGE
If computer-generated imagery is added skilfully to an authentic, not dramatized, piece of
video, the results may be deceptive.

EXAMPLE
Video is shared on social media that appears to show a tiger roaming urban streets and
snarling. The tiger has been added in post-production to a video that initially showed a
domestic dog running through streets and barking at passers-by.

FULL CGI MEDIA
Highly realistic computer games are usually identifiable as being computer-generated.
However, short clips of dark or unclear scenes may be confused for real-life if viewed in
isolation.

EXAMPLE
A clip from a game showing a fighter jet making a strike at night is shared and said to
depict a real military act.

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FOOTAGE DOCTORED USING CGI

The claim: This video was created for the purposes of the course, but you can imagine
it was shared on social media with a caption reading: “This just happened at the end of
my road. Terrifying!”

The reality: This video was created using source footage of an everyday street scene.
The sinkhole was added using advanced CGI techniques.

The impact: Such videos may easily sow fear, amplify emotions and cause confusion, if
they are shared without any indication that they are computer-generated manipulations
of real video.
11.1.5 Synthetic Media
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “DEEPFAKE” CONTENT, SYNTHETIC MEDIA USES THE
CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF COMPUTER -GENERATED IMAGERY COMBINED
WITH THE SPEED AND PRECISION OFFERED BY DEEP -LEARNING ALGORITHMS
(THE BASIS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OR AI).

Creators of synthetic media start by feeding source images into machine-learning
software. The programme recognises recurring characteristics in the data, such as the
shape of someone’s face. It creates rules for these characteristics, and then uses these
rules to generate new content based on what it has learned.

Because it is created by computer algorithm, some of this new content may be highly
unrealistic, so the programme uses a second network to examine the generated output.
This second network has also learnt rules for the appearance of authentic content, and
rejects any generated content that breaches these rules. This helps the content become
more realistic.

USING THIS TECHNIQUE, SYNTHETIC MEDIA CAN RECREATE PEOPLE’S FACES,
VOICES AND MOVEMENTS.

It can also be used to create new landscapes or scenes, or alter real scenes in a way that
gives realistic results.

A high degree of technical capacity is needed to create realistic results currently, but this
is likely to change rapidly.

A HURRICANE HAS HIT A NEARBY CITY. YOUR VIEW ERS/READERS START TO
SEND IN VIDEOS SHOWING THE DAMAGE.

Risk: Content may be from a previous weather incident, video may have been edited, or
filters applied, to enhance drama.

It may even be doctored using CGI.

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11.2 The risk associated with the following scenario:
A VIEWER HAS PASSED TO YOUR REPORTER AN EXPLOSIVE VIDEO OF A
POLITICIAN MAKING A HIGHLY INSULTING REMARK, SEEMINGLY UNAWARE
THAT HE/SHE WAS BEING FILMED.

Risk
Video may have been edited so that the full statement is not heard, video may have been
staged using an impersonator (either through vision, or audio, or both), video may be a
“deepfake”, created using previous examples of the politician speaking.

WHICH OF THE TYPES OF MANIPULATED MEDIA DESCRIBED HERE HAVE YOU
ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR NEWSROOM?

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11.3 New threat of Deep fake/ synthetic media
The word deepfake is a portmanteau, or blended word, made from “deep learning” and
“fake”.

It makes the distinction that this fake, or synthetic, material is underpinned by “deep
learning” – part of artificial intelligence, or AI. The patterns in the content detected through
deep learning drive the computer programme to create new, realistic, imagery.

In this chapter you will see some examples of synthetic media. They all feature actors,
who have consented to be filmed and to have their imagery manipulated. Many deepfakes
that have been shared online have not been created with the consent of the subject, and
for this reason we have not included these examples in this course.
11.3.1 How are deepfake videos created?
Imagery of the subject is fed to machine-learning software. A neural network in the
software learns patterns in the imagery and develops rules to recreate it.

This ‘generator’ network then creates new imagery – such as faces and scenes - in
artificial video frames which are designed to resemble the source material.

Meanwhile, a second ‘discriminator’ neural network is trained using real imagery. It
compares the generated content against the real content.

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Generated content that does not match the characteristics learnt
by the discriminator is rejected until the generated content is so
authentic-looking that it ‘tricks’ the discriminator into accepting it.

Face Swapping: Deep-learning software learns the characteristics of the source face,
and of the target face. Software then regenerates the target face, using movements
mapped from the source face, within the framing of the source video.

EXAMPLE
The video below was created from one video of an actor speaking in London (face 1) and
another video of a second actor speaking in New York (face 2). Face one has replaced
face 2 in the second video. The software identified the face in source video 2 and replaced
it with an artificially-created face created by the generator network.

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Face Reanimation: Deep-learning software learns the movement of the target face and
the movement of the source face. Then, the software regenerates the source face using
movements mapped from target face. This principle can also be applied to map full body
movements.

EXAMPLE
The video below was made from two source videos. The source face is an English
speaker, whose facial patterns and characteristics were mapped. The target face is a
French speaker, whose face was also mapped, and the software recorded her speech
movements. A generator network was then used to recreate the source face making the
same movements, thus making our English speaker appear to be speaking French.

Object Removal: Deep learning software analyses characteristics of background scene.
A target object may then be cut from the footage, and the software generates a new
section of background imagery in line with learnt characteristics.

EXAMPLE
A person is seen walking across a city plaza in the source footage. Using AI-powered
object removal features on video editing software, the target person is removed in the

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manipulated version, and the software recreates the background. This allows fast
modifications, without the need for professional CGI skills.


Synthetic images: Deep learning software learns the characteristic of human faces
through being fed thousands of images. A generator then creates synthetic faces using
these rules. A discriminator network rejects them until they are sufficiently authentic-
looking



Synthetic Audio: AI learns characteristics of an individual’s speech. Generative AI
recreates the source speech using different inputted language.

EXAMPLE

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The audio file below was created using source audio, and target audio, to recreate the
audio characteristics of the source speaker.


11.4 Identifying Deepfakes
ARE THERE POSITIVE USES OF THIS TECHNOLOGY?
The advanced technology behind these videos has a range of commercial applications,
particularly in the creative industries such as advertising and film-making. Commercials
and campaigns may be more easily dubbed, demands on actors’ time may be lessened
and special effects can be created more swiftly and safely.

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES?
Synthetic videos may be created with malicious intent, with an attempt to influence
people’s behaviour. Other synthetic videos may be presented as a form of satire – but not
recognised as such by portions of the audience.

Some synthetic media may attempt to have a large-scale impact, such as videos that try
to sway voter intentions before an election. Alternatively, the media may be highly
targeted, with the aim of embarrassing or blackmailing an individual.
11.4.1 Tracking manipulated Media
PUT IN PLACE A COMPREHENSIVE VERIFICATION WORKFLOW TO EXAMINE THE
CONTENT AND THE SOURCE:

WHAT DOES THE MEDIA SHOW?
• Have you reverse image searched keyframes?
• Are there clues that help identify time and location – e.g. street details, sun
position?
• Have you seen other media from other, unconnected sources, which depict the
same incident? If not – is it plausible there is only one version on film?
• Can you get the original file and check the file metadata?
• Is the quality of the picture and audio as you might expect?

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• Do independent regional/subject experts see anything unusual about the scene
portrayed in the video?

WHO CAPTURED THIS MEDIA?
• How have you received this content?
• What do you know about them?
• What is their motivation to capture and share the content?
• Are you able to contact them?
• Are they answering your questions in a detailed and consistent manner?
11.5 UGC Verification Techniques
Reverse Image Search: Images or multiple keyframes from video may be checked using
search engines. This is a quick way to look for previous examples of the media online –
although the absence of previous instances does not positively prove the material is new.

Geolocation: Landmarks in the media should be identified and checked against other
imagery (such as that from satellites, previous photos of the location or Google
streetview) showing the believed location.

Meta Data Examination: If you can obtain the original source file from the content
creator, you can look for a stamp showing the time of creation, the type of camera used,
file size, and possible location data. Note that metadata can be altered, so the presence
of this data is not proof alone.

Corroborating Imagery: Were there witnesses to the news event depicted in the media?
Can you find imagery that captures the incident from other angles? Or can witnesses give
a description of what they saw that tallies with the media you have?

Directly Questioning Source: Interviewing the source face-to-face, by phone call or
through instant messaging provides an opportunity to ask for a detailed account of what
that person saw. Ask about inconsistencies and if necessary, ask for evidence that your
source was there – do they have any pictures of themselves at the location?

Subject Expert Consultation: People with linguistic, geographic or subject expertise that
is relevant to the video in question may be best equipped to spot inconsistent details
(such as dialect, landscape, objects) or offer background information that places the
media in context.

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11.6 Clues specific to synthetic media
The following list is a compilation of “red flags” which may be present in some deepfake
videos. However, these clues are less likely to be evident as synthetic media becomes
ever more indistinguishable from real media:

• Audio/video is not in perfect synchronization
• The mouth movements of the speaker appear slightly unnatural (especially to a
native speaker)
• Edges of people or objects in the video have an unusual pixel pattern
• The speaking subject is unusually still
• The subject is making very few facial expressions
• Blinking seems to be absent or unnaturally spaced
• Eyes of the speaker lack vibrancy

Note: Watch all latest examples of created deepfakes. The more you watch and become
familiar with this type of content, the better chance you have of spotting it. Research from
Reuters shows that journalists who had studied deepfakes were more able to identify ‘red
flags’ that were indicative of media manipulation.

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11.7 Can deepfakes be detected automatically?
• Programmes are being developed to identify patterns of pixels that may indicate
that media has been synthetically generated. We expected to see these being
made available soon. However, these programmes require training data to spot
these patterns, so newer forms of synthetic media may not be recognised.

• Reverse image search can be helpful, as many deepfakes are based on previously
existing videos.
12 Tackling Manipulated Media
12.1 Breaking News Scenario
MASS PROTESTS HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE IN A MAJOR CITY FOR SEVERAL
WEEKS.
Tensions between demonstrators and police are growing by the day and there are
rumours the army may be brought in to clear the streets. Your news organisation has
been following developments closely and you have reporters on the ground.

ONE MORNING YOU ARE SENT A VIDEO BY WHATSAPP FROM A VIEWER.

It appears to have been filmed from the window of a building at night. It shows, on an
otherwise empty street, three armed soldiers, in uniform, surrounding a pair of protesters.
A struggle is taking place. One of the protesters breaks free of the group and starts to
run. A soldier turns, aims a machine gun and fires. The protester falls to the ground,
before being picked up and carried away by other uniformed people who have emerged
from a parked vehicle.

DO YOU RUN THE VIDEO ON YOUR CHANNEL?

THE AUTHORITY DENIES THAT ITS SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED ON THE
STREETS.

The viewer tells you that he/she got the video forwarded on Whatsapp and doesn't know
who filmed it, but the caption says it was last night. From studying the video, you identify
a building that appears to match one in a central neighbourhood.

DO YOU RUN THE VIDEO ON YOUR CHANNEL?

YOUR ORIGINAL VIEWER PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH ANOTHER USER ON
WHATSAPP, WHO SHE SAYS IS THE SOURCE OF THE VIDEO.

He confirms he shot it from his apartment and wants to remain anonymous.

Take a moment to think about this.
WHAT DO YOU ASK THE VIEWER?

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WHAT WE SUGGEST

▪ ask for the original video file, sent in uncompressed form, so you can check
metadata
▪ ask for further details about the time of the incident, exact location, what
happened either side of the filming
▪ ask the user to take a picture out of the window today to show his vantage
point

THE VIDEO SHOWS CONSISTENT METADATA AND IS SUPPORTED BY
NEIGHBORS WHO SAY THEY SAW/HEARD THE INCIDENT.

WHAT MAY BE THE TRUTH BEHIND THIS VIDEO?

▪ the video may be a timely record of state troops confronting protesters
▪ the video may have been staged by individuals with a motivation to drive anger
among citizens
▪ the video may have been manipulated in post-production, and 'witnesses'
encouraged to repeat the story.

WOULD YOU RUN THIS VIDEO? Yes/ No

Conclusion
As with all editorial judgements, much rests of on the reliability of your sources and the
presence of corroborating accounts or imagery.

Consistent metadata on original media files, an identifiable location and an apparent lack
of manipulation based on careful examination will all act as important supporting
evidence.

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13 News/ Content Creation Best Practices
Content creation is the cornerstone of web journalism, but maintaining originality is crucial
to building credibility. Plagiarism, the act of using someone else's work without proper
attribution, undermines journalistic integrity. Journalists must utilize reliable sources,
conduct thorough research, and ensure proper citation to avoid plagiarism. Advanced
tools such as plagiarism checkers and citation managers can assist in maintaining
originality.
13.1 Canonical issues
Canonical issues most commonly occur when a website has more than one URL that
displays similar or identical content. They're often the result of not having proper redirects
in place, though they can also be caused by search parameters on ecommerce sites and
by syndicating or publishing content on multiple sites.
13.1.1 Avoid creating duplicate content
Duplicate content generally refers to substantive blocks of content within or across
domains that either completely match other content or are appreciably similar. Mostly,
this is not deceptive in origin. Examples of non-malicious duplicate content could include:

▪ Discussion forums that can generate both regular and stripped-down pages
targeted at mobile devices
▪ Items in an online store that are shown or linked to by multiple distinct URLs
▪ Printer-only versions of web pages

If your site contains multiple pages with largely identical content, there are a number of
ways you can indicate your preferred URL to Google. (This is called "canonicalization".)

However, in some cases, content is deliberately duplicated across domains in an attempt
to manipulate search engine rankings or win more traffic. Deceptive practices like this can
result in a poor user experience, when a visitor sees substantially the same content
repeated within a set of search results.

Google tries hard to index and show pages with distinct information. This filtering means,
for instance, that if your site has a "regular" and "printer" version of each article, and
neither of these is blocked with a noindex tag, we'll choose one of them to list. In the rare
cases in which Google perceives that duplicate content may be shown with intent to
manipulate our rankings and deceive our users, we'll also make appropriate adjustments
in the indexing and ranking of the sites involved. As a result, the ranking of the site may
suffer, or the site might be removed entirely from the Google index, in which case it will
no longer appear in search results.

There are some steps you can take to proactively address duplicate content issues, and
ensure that visitors see the content you want them to.

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▪ Use 301s : If you've restructured your site, use 301
redirects ("RedirectPermanent") in your .htaccess file to smartly redirect users,
Googlebot, and other spiders. (In Apache, you can do this with an .htaccess file;
in IIS, you can do this through the administrative console.)

▪ Be consistent: Try to keep your internal linking consistent. For example, don't link
to http://www.example.com/page/ and http://www.example.com/page and http://w
ww.example.com/page/index.htm.

▪ Use top-level domains: To help us serve the most appropriate version of a
document, use top-level domains whenever possible to handle country-specific
content. We're more likely to know that http://www.example.de contains Germany-
focused con tent, for instance,
than http://www.example.com/de or http://de.example.com.

▪ Syndicate carefully: If you syndicate your content on other sites, Google will
always show the version we think is most appropriate for users in each given
search, which may or may not be the version you'd prefer. However, it is helpful to
ensure that each site on which your content is syndicated includes a link back to
your original article. You can also ask those who use your syndicated material to
use the noindex tag to prevent search engines from indexing their version of the
content.

▪ Minimize boilerplate repetition: For instance, instead of including lengthy
copyright text on the bottom of every page, include a very brief summary and then
link to a page with more details. In addition, you can use the Parameter Handling
tool to specify how you would like Google to treat URL parameters.

▪ Avoid publishing stubs: Users don't like seeing "empty" pages, so avoid
placeholders where possible. For example, don't publish pages for which you don't
yet have real content. If you do create placeholder pages, use the noindex tag to
block these pages from being indexed.

▪ Understand your content management system: Make sure you're familiar with
how content is displayed on your web site. Blogs, forums, and related systems
often show the same content in multiple formats. For example, a blog entry may
appear on the home page of a blog, in an archive page, and in a page of other
entries with the same label.

▪ Minimize similar content: If you have many pages that are similar, consider
expanding each page or consolidating the pages into one. For instance, if you have
a travel site with separate pages for two cities, but the same information on both
pages, you could either merge the pages into one page about both cities or you
could expand each page to contain unique content about each city.

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Google does not recommend blocking crawler access to duplicate content on your
website, whether with a robots.txt file or other methods. If search engines can't crawl
pages with duplicate content, they can't automatically detect that these URLs point to the
same content and will therefore effectively have to treat them as separate, unique pages.
A better solution is to allow search engines to crawl these URLs, but mark them as
duplicates by using the rel="canonical" link element, the URL parameter handling tool, or
301 redirects. In cases where duplicate content leads to us crawling too much of your
website, you can also adjust the crawl rate setting in Search Console.

Duplicate content on a site is not grounds for action on that site unless it appears that the
intent of the duplicate content is to be deceptive and manipulate search engine results. If
your site suffers from duplicate content issues, and you don't follow the advice listed
above, we do a good job of choosing a version of the content to show in our search
results.

However, if our review indicated that you engaged in deceptive practices and your site
has been removed from our search results, review your site carefully. If your site has been
removed from our search results, review our Webmaster Guidelines for more information.
Once you've made your changes and are confident that your site no longer violates our
guidelines, submit your site for reconsideration.

In rare situations, our algorithm may select a URL from an external site that is hosting
your content without your permission. If you believe that another site is duplicating your
content in violation of copyright law, you may contact the site's host to request removal.
In addition, you can request that Google remove the infringing page from our search
results by filing a request under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
(https://support.google.com/legal/answer/1120734)
13.2 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and Related Laws
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a key piece of legislation that addresses
copyright infringement in the digital age. It provides mechanisms for copyright holders to
request the removal of infringing content from websites and protects online service
providers from liability if they comply with these requests.
13.2.1 Key Provisions of the DMCA
▪ Safe Harbor: Protects service providers from liability if they promptly remove
infringing content upon notification.
▪ Notice and Takedown: Allows copyright holders to request the removal of
infringing content by sending a notice to the service provider.
▪ Anti-Circumvention: Prohibits the circumvention of technological measures that
control access to copyrighted works.

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13.2.2 Related Laws
▪ Copyright Act of 1976: The primary statute governing copyright law in the United
States, providing the framework for copyright protection.
▪ European Union Copyright Directive: Includes provisions similar to the DMCA
and adds requirements for online platforms to prevent the upload of infringing
content.
13.2.3 Example DMCA Takedown Notice

To: [Service Provider Name]
Address: [Service Provider Address]
Email: [Service Provider Email]

Re: DMCA Takedown Notice

Dear [Service Provider Name],

I, [Your Name], am the owner of the copyrighted material described below. I have a good
faith belief that the material identified below is infringing upon my copyright and that the
use of this material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.

Please remove or disable access to the infringing material as soon as possible.

Infringing Material:
- URL: [URL of the Infringing Material]
- Description: [Description of the Infringing Material]

I can be contacted at:
- Name: [Your Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- Email: [Your Email]

I declare under penalty of perjury that the information in this notification is accurate and
that I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the exclusive right that is allegedly
infringed.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

The "Technical Web Journalism" module can provide students with a comprehensive and
forward-looking understanding of the field, preparing them for the dynamic landscape of
digital journalism.

https://www.facebook.com/journalismproject/training/reuters-digital-journalism-course
https://www.facebook.com/formedia/mjp/programs/third-party-fact-checking

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14 Meta offered Journalists Registration
14.1 Register as a journalist with Facebook
As part of the registration process, Facebook will verify that the five news articles you
have submitted meet all of the following criteria:
▪ All article links are tied to a registered news Page on Facebook.
▪ All articles credit you as an author or contributor in the byline.
▪ The name listed as author or contributor in each article matches the name on your
Facebook profile.
▪ Articles are not satire.
▪ Articles are not press releases, or categorised as marketing/advertising.
▪ Articles do not contain misinformation (learn more about Facebook's misinformation
policies).
▪ At least one (1) article was published in the last 365 days from the date of application.
14.1.1 How to register
If you meet all of the criteria mentioned above, you can begin the registration process.

While journalist registration requires affiliation with a news organisation that is registered
as a news Page on Facebook, these are separate processes. Registering as a journalist
does not give you the same privileges as being registered as a news Page and vice versa.

Meta reserves the right to modify, suspend, terminate access to or discontinue the
availability of this process at any time. We may modify these guidelines as necessary,
and we may make exceptions based on additional considerations. Inclusion is based on
these guidelines, and does not constitute an endorsement by Meta (or by Facebook, one
of Meta's technologies) of the views espoused by registered journalists or news Pages
on Facebook.
14.2 News Page index registration
Before you register your Page in the news Page index, you'll need to:

Verify your domain
Verify your business
Have access with full control of the Page in Meta Business Manager
Review the currently supported languages below.

Note: Pages created less than 90 days ago will not be able to register within the news
Page index.

To register your Page within the news Page index:
1. Go to Business settings.
2. Navigate to the Registrations tab.
3. Click News Pages.
4. Click Next steps.

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5. Select the news Page that you want to register from the drop-down menu.
6. Click Done.
7. Follow the steps that include adding your website, verifying your domain, verifying
your website and registering content behind paywalls.
8. Click Submit.

Note: You'll be unable to click Submit until you've completed steps 1-8.

In addition to submitting news Pages, publishers also have the opportunity to share
optional information about their Page, such as logos and editorial policies. We
continuously work with publishers and industry groups to explore different ways of
displaying this additional information so that people can have a better understanding of
the news that they see on Facebook.

Meta reserves the right to modify, suspend, terminate access to or discontinue the
availability of this process at any time. To ensure the best experiences for people and
publishers, we may modify these guidelines as necessary, and we may make exceptions
based on additional considerations. Inclusion in the news Page index is based
on guidelines, and doesn't constitute an endorsement by Meta technologies of the views
espoused by included Pages.
14.3 Registration guidelines for the News Page Index
Applications to the News Page Index are reviewed against the below criteria, which were
developed in collaboration with publishers, academics and industry groups.
14.3.1 Authenticity and accountability
In order to be eligible for inclusion in the News Page Index, Pages must be active in the
last 90 days, must have existed for at least 90 days and must link to a functioning website
with a verified domain.

The publisher’s Page name must reflect a relationship to its associated website or owning
business. Moreover, the information provided by the publisher in the “About” section of
their Page may be assessed for accuracy and whether it reflects their status as a news
provider with a multi-person editorial staff. Additionally, the majority of links posted on the
publisher's Page must come from the website verified for news Page registration.

To protect the integrity of our platform, we expect publishers who submit their news Pages
to confirm business ownership and identity and comply with Facebook’s Community
Standards, Pages policy and Meta platform terms. Pages that choose to advertise and
monetize must also comply with our Advertising Standards and Monetization Eligibility
Standards.

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14.3.2 Requirements
The News Page Index is currently designed as a tool for news publishing entities including
newspapers, e-magazines and news television shows, not for individuals. The News
Page Index does not accept applications from Pages dedicated to individual journalists.
Applicants’ content should reflect the judgment of a multi-person editorial staff.
14.3.3 News content
Facebok know that news spans a range of topics, and can be communicated in different
formats and styles. Based on industry standards, we expect publishers to submit news
Pages that:
▪ Primarily create journalism that reports on current events or timely information, and
that is not parody or satire.
▪ Cite and/or link to fact-based sources for published information. Publishers that
cite parody and satire as fact, or that repeatedly cite known publishers of
misinformation and hoaxes, will not meet this requirement.
▪ Include dates/timestamps on published content.
▪ Primarily publish content that is not user-generated or aggregated from other
websites.
▪ Provide first and last names of editorial staff on the website associated with your
Page, either through bylines on articles or a staff directory that includes editorial
leadership.

Facebook will also consider the press freedom environment in which a publisher
operates.
14.3.4 Misinformation
Pages and publishers that have recently and repeatedly shared misinformation will not
be eligible to register as news Pages. If our fact-checking partners find a registered news
Page or publisher to be repeatedly sharing misinformation, registration for that Page may
be revoked. Publishers with associated Pages that repeatedly share misinformation may
also face restricted privileges associated with news Page registration.
14.3.5 Ads and sponsored content
We recognize that news publishers create and post a wide range of content, including
advertising and promotions. However, the amount of advertising and promotional content
should not exceed the amount of news content.

In the interest of transparency, we also require registered news publishers to clearly
distinguish news content from affiliate, promotional, advertising and marketing content,
so users can easily tell the difference.
15 The Impact of AI on Web Journalism
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing web journalism by automating tasks such as
content creation, data analysis, and personalized news delivery. AI-powered tools can
help journalists analyze vast amounts of data quickly, detect trends, and generate

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insights. Additionally, AI can personalize content for readers, enhancing engagement and
satisfaction, the above codes can be generated through proper AI prompts.

Here learn about Google's approach to AI and how their products can support
newsrooms.
15.1 Lesson Overview
This lesson provides a brief overview of Google’s approach to AI and highlights several
AI-enabled products used by journalists, including Pinpoint and Fact Check Explorer.
Additionally, a separate lesson covers ways that business teams at news publishers can
make use of Google’s Generative AI products.

“We believe that AI is a foundational and transformational technology that will provide
compelling and helpful benefits to people and society through its capacity to assist,
complement, empower, and inspire people in almost every field of human endeavor.” -
Kames Manyika, Jeff Dean, Demis Hassabis, Marian Croak, and Sundar Pichai.
Learn more: ai.google/why-ai/. For more lessons, visit their trainings page.
(https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/)
15.2 History of AI
“I propose to consider the question, Can machines think?” So opens Alan Turing's paper,
"Computing Machinery and Intelligence," a landmark 1950 text that inspired early
conversations about Artificial Intelligence. The world of AI has evolved greatly over the
past seven decades. Below are several key milestones and eras in that history:

▪ 1950s - Dreaming: Early AI research explored the possibility of creating machines
that could think like humans.
▪ 1960s - Logic: Logical systems that could solve problems in a rule-based manner
were introduced.
▪ 1990s - Data: Machine learning algorithms, which can learn to perform tasks
without being explicitly programmed, emerged.
▪ 2010s - Learning: Machine learning experts developed algorithms inspired by the
human brain, which we call “neural networks.”
▪ 2017 - Generative AI: A Google development, the Transformer, led to a significant
development in Gen AI. The transformer model is a neural network that learns
context and thus meaning by tracking relationships in data like the words in this
sentence.

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15.3 Generative AI
Generative AI refers to AI solutions capable of generating new information, such as text,
images, videos, and sounds. These solutions are typically based on Large Language
Models (LLMs), which are statistical models that predict the likelihood of every possible
outcome based on an input.
In simple terms, this is Gen AI. It takes an input and generates an output.
To summarize, Generative AI is:

▪ Technology that assists in complex tasks.
▪ Technology that boosts human capabilities.
▪ A replacement for remedial or redundant tasks (automation).

It is not:

▪ A sentient being.
▪ A magic bullet.
▪ The answer to every problem.
▪ A replacement for human intelligence.
15.4 Google’s AI Principles
Google is optimistic about the potential of AI, but they recognize that advanced
technologies can raise important challenges that must be addressed clearly, thoughtfully,
and affirmatively. To tackle these challenges, a set of principles was developed:
1. Be socially beneficial.
2. Avoid creating or reinforcing unfair bias.
3. Be built and tested for safety.
4. Be accountable to people.
5. Incorporate privacy design principles.
6. Uphold high standards of scientific excellence.
7. Be made available for uses that accord with these principles.
For more information, see ai.google/responsibility/principles.
15.5 Google’s AI Tools
Google has a range of AI-powered tools that can be used by journalists to fact-check,
analyze, and generally help with reporting. These range from tools based on machine
learning to the latest developments in Generative AI. Let's look at the use of Pinpoint,
Fact Check Explorer, and Gemini in the newsroom.
15.6 Pinpoint
Pinpoint is a tool that Google built specifically to meet the needs of journalists, namely to
help them uncover information. It uses Google Search and Knowledge Graph, optical
character recognition, and speech-to-text technologies to search through scanned PDFs,
images, handwritten notes, emails, and audio files to help reporters find stories buried in
large documents. To learn more about Pinpoint, see our full lesson on how to use the
tool. For full details on where Pinpoint is available, see the help center.

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15.7 Fact Check Explorer: Overview
Fact Check Explorer is a Google tool that helps you find fact checks that have already
been investigated and published by independent organizations around the world. The
features in the Fact Check Explorer use AI to find text and image matches. Additional
functionality uses AI to match images to a wide corpus of fact checks, allowing you to
investigate the changing context of an image over time and when the image was first
indexed by Google.

Image Search: Step 1
Fact Check Explorer’s new image feature works in two parts. The first is that it allows you
to upload an image to check against all previously fact-checked images. URL
(https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/gni_genai_lesson_factcheck_1.gif)

Image Search: Step 2
Once uploaded, we can see if the image has appeared anywhere in an existing fact check.
In this example, the image of a shark returns a number of previous fact checks on the
image, such as one from Snopes, a fact-checking site online, which states: Snopes rating:
False. (https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/gni_genai_lesson_factcheck_2.gif)

Image Search: Step 3
One-way images can be manipulated is by using them in the wrong context. Clicking on
‘Image contexts’ allows you to see the context and timeline of an image. It shows when it
was first indexed by Google and how it has been used since. Using Fact Check Explorer
to search for an image will show the results of that image on the web. You’ll see an
overview of the different topics associated with the image and their evolution over time.
URL (https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/gni_genai_lesson_factcheck_4.gif)

Image Search: Step 4
In the example of the shark, it shows a number of locations that have been associated
with the image: Houston, Texas, Florida, etc. Clicking on a location will then return the
links where that image occurs alongside that piece of context, e.g., it will only show the
links where the image of the shark is associated with the word "Houston." This will filter
the links under ‘References’ accordingly. URL
(https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/gni_genai_lesson_factcheck_5.gif)

Image Search: Step 5
Image features are currently in a pre-release trusted tester phase but are planned to be
made available via API for integration into your own platforms and products. Sign up here
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSct_cdI7947e_2wqPxYKNkT2q-
A0cnNuF41xRoYrYcBJ78fJA/viewform?pli=1) to help test the feature.

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15.8 Google Fact Check Tool APIs
15.8.1 Getting Started
The Google FactCheck ClaimReview Read/Write API enables adding, editing, or deleting
ClaimReview markup for a site’s fact-checking articles (URLs). Note: To add or make
changes to a site’s markup using this API, users must be authorized through Google
Search Console. Any account listed as a restricted or full user of a site will be able to
create markup for any articles of that site. Required steps are:

▪ Talk to your website administrator to find out if your site is already on Search
Console. If not, follow these steps.
▪ Ask your website administrator to add you as a user to the site, either as a
restricted or full user (instructions).

You are responsible for informing your users that your API client will contribute data to
DataCommons. Use of the ClaimReview Read/Write API is subject to Google’s API
Terms of Service.
15.8.2 The Google FactCheck Claim Search API
Typical use cases:

▪ Users can use this API to query the same set of Fact Check results available via
the Fact Check Explorer.
▪ Alternatively, a developer may wish to call this API to continuously get the latest
updates on a particular query.

Use of the FactCheck Claim Search API is subject to Google’s API Terms of Service. To
learn more, check the API documentation.
15.9 Gemini: Introduction
Gemini, previously called Bard, is an early-stage product to help you use generative AI to
supercharge your ideas. You can use Gemini to boost your productivity, accelerate your
ideas, and fuel your curiosity. You might ask Gemini to give you tips to reach your goal of
reading more books this year, explain quantum physics in simple terms, or spark your
creativity by outlining a blog post. As with all generative AI, there is a risk of
“hallucinations,” so it’s always important to fact-check the responses of any AI.
15.9.1 Gemini: Getting Started
To get started, go to gemini.google.com. Gemini can be a powerful tool to help you
generate new ideas and boost your productivity. By using conversational queries, you
can ask Gemini to help you brainstorm, outline, and even create content. For example,
you can ask it to help you draft an article on recent advances in renewable energy or
generate a list of interview questions for an upcoming podcast.

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15.9.2 Gemini: Best Practices
To get the most out of Gemini, you need to master prompts. Being a great prompt
engineer doesn't require coding experience. Creativity and persistence will be enough.
Some best practices include:

1. Clearly communicate what content or information is most important.
2. Structure the prompt: Start by defining its role, give context/input data, then provide
the instruction.
3. Use specific, varied examples to help the model narrow its focus and generate
more accurate results.
4. Use constraints to limit the scope of the model's output.
5. Break down complex tasks into a sequence of simpler prompts.
6. Instruct the model to evaluate or check its own responses before producing them
(e.g., "Make sure to limit your response to 3 sentences.").

Lastly, the more creative and open-minded you are, the better your results will be. LLMs
and prompt engineering are still in their infancy and evolving every day. For ideas on how
to leverage this new technology, take a look at this guide on 10 helpful ways to use
Gemini.
15.9.3 Gemini: Easily Check Outputs with Google Search
One feature to help with fact-checking is Gemini’s “Google it” button to more easily
double-check its answers. When you click on the “G” icon, Gemini will read the response
and evaluate whether there is content across the web to substantiate it. When a statement
can be evaluated, you can click the highlighted phrases and learn more about supporting
or contradicting information found by Search. This feature is available everywhere Gemini
has been launched.

The Gemini web app, with a specifically tuned version of Google's 1.0 Pro model, is
currently available in more than 40 languages and over 230 countries and territories.
Learn about Gemini with 1.0 Pro.

They will gradually expand to more countries and territories in a way that's consistent with
local regulations and their AI principles.

Important: For now, Gemini with the specifically tuned version of the 1.0 Pro model works
for text-based prompts, with support for other content types coming soon. This model’s
availability in any specific Gemini app is limited to the supported languages and countries
of that app.
15.10 ChatGPT's Role in Web Journalism
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, plays a significant role in web journalism by assisting
journalists in various tasks, enhancing productivity, and supporting content creation.
Here’s how ChatGPT contributes to web journalism:

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15.10.1 Automated Content Generation
ChatGPT can help journalists quickly generate drafts for articles, reports, and other
written content. By providing a prompt with specific requirements, journalists can receive
a well-structured draft that can be further refined and edited.
15.10.2 Data Analysis and Summarization
Journalists often deal with large volumes of data. ChatGPT can analyze data sets, identify
key trends, and summarize the findings. This capability is particularly useful for
investigative journalism and reporting on complex topics.
15.10.3 Research Assistance
ChatGPT can assist in gathering information on a wide range of topics. Journalists can
use it to obtain background information, historical context, and recent developments
related to their stories. This speeds up the research process and ensures comprehensive
coverage.
15.10.4 Fact-Checking and Verification
With the integration of tools like Fact Check Explorer, ChatGPT can assist journalists in
verifying the accuracy of information. It can cross-reference data against verified sources
and provide insights into the credibility of the information.
15.10.5 Interview Preparation
ChatGPT can help journalists prepare for interviews by generating potential questions
based on the interviewee’s background and the interview topic. This ensures that
journalists are well-prepared and can conduct in-depth and insightful interviews.
15.10.6 Multilingual Support
For international journalism, ChatGPT’s multilingual capabilities are invaluable. It can
translate content, provide summaries in different languages, and assist in creating articles
for a global audience.
15.10.7 Enhancing Audience Engagement
By generating engaging headlines, summaries, and social media posts, ChatGPT helps
journalists capture the audience's attention. This enhances reader engagement and
increases the reach of their stories.
15.10.8 Ethical Considerations
While ChatGPT offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to consider ethical implications.
Journalists must ensure that AI-generated content is accurate, unbiased, and free from
misinformation. Fact-checking and human oversight are crucial to maintaining journalistic
integrity.

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In conclusion, ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance the capabilities
of journalists. By automating routine tasks, providing research assistance, and ensuring
accurate information, it enables journalists to focus on creating high-quality content and
delivering impactful stories. As AI technology continues to evolve, its role in web
journalism is likely to expand, offering even more opportunities for innovation and
efficiency.
16 The Role of Blockchain in Journalism
Blockchain technology has the potential to transform journalism by providing a secure
and transparent way to verify the authenticity of news and protect intellectual property.
Blockchain can be used to track the origin of news stories, ensure the integrity of content,
and provide a tamper-proof record of journalistic work.
16.1 Introduction to Blockchain in Journalism
Blockchain, a decentralized and distributed ledger technology, is best known for its
application in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. However, its potential extends far beyond
digital currencies. In the realm of journalism, blockchain technology offers promising
solutions to longstanding issues such as verifying the authenticity of news, protecting
intellectual property, and ensuring transparency and trustworthiness in reporting.
16.2 Latest Developments in Blockchain and Journalism
Recent advancements in blockchain technology have paved the way for its integration
into journalism. Key developments include:

1. News Provenance Tracking: Several blockchain platforms have been developed
to track the origin and modifications of news stories. Projects like Civil and Po.et
aim to create a decentralized registry of content to verify its authenticity and
prevent misinformation.
2. Smart Contracts for Licensing: Smart contracts, self-executing contracts with
the terms directly written into code, are being used to manage and enforce
licensing agreements for journalistic content. This ensures that creators are fairly
compensated and that their work is protected.
3. Decentralized News Platforms: New platforms are emerging that leverage
blockchain to create decentralized news ecosystems. These platforms aim to
reduce the influence of intermediaries, giving more power and revenue to content
creators.
4. Immutable Archives: Blockchain technology is being used to create immutable
archives of journalistic work, ensuring that once content is published, it cannot be
tampered with or deleted. This is crucial for maintaining historical records and
holding power to account.

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16.3 Applications of Blockchain in Journalism
Blockchain technology can be applied in various ways to enhance the field of journalism:

1. Content Verification: Blockchain can provide a transparent and tamper-proof
method to verify the authenticity of news stories. By recording every stage of the
content creation and distribution process, blockchain ensures that readers can
trace the origin and verify the accuracy of the information.
2. Intellectual Property Protection: Journalists and media organizations can use
blockchain to protect their intellectual property. By timestamping and recording
content on the blockchain, they can prove ownership and protect their work from
unauthorized use.
3. Smart Licensing: Smart contracts can automate the licensing process, ensuring
that journalists are compensated fairly and immediately when their content is used.
This reduces the need for intermediaries and ensures that creators retain control
over their work.
4. Transparent Funding: Blockchain can facilitate transparent funding and payment
systems for journalists. For instance, readers can directly support their favorite
journalists or news outlets through cryptocurrency payments, ensuring that funds
are distributed fairly and transparently.
5. Decentralized News Platforms: Platforms like Civil and Steemit are using
blockchain to create decentralized ecosystems where news can be published and
consumed without the need for traditional intermediaries. This promotes a more
democratic and participatory media landscape.
16.4 Advantages of Blockchain in Journalism
The integration of blockchain technology in journalism offers numerous advantages:
1. Enhanced Transparency: Blockchain’s decentralized and transparent nature
ensures that all transactions and modifications are recorded and visible to all
parties. This enhances trust in the authenticity and integrity of news stories.
2. Improved Security: Blockchain’s cryptographic features provide a high level of
security, protecting content from tampering, unauthorized access, and
cyberattacks.
3. Fair Compensation: Smart contracts ensure that journalists and content creators
are fairly compensated for their work without the need for intermediaries. This
promotes a more sustainable and equitable revenue model for journalism.
4. Reduced Censorship: Decentralized platforms powered by blockchain are less
susceptible to censorship, allowing journalists to publish freely and readers to
access unbiased information.
5. Immutable Records: Blockchain’s immutable ledger ensures that once content is
published, it cannot be altered or deleted. This is crucial for maintaining accurate
historical records and ensuring accountability.

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16.5 Challenges and Considerations
While blockchain technology offers significant potential for journalism, there are also
challenges and considerations to address:

1. Scalability: Blockchain networks can face scalability issues, especially with high
transaction volumes. Ensuring that blockchain systems can handle the demands
of a global journalism ecosystem is crucial.
2. Regulatory Environment: The regulatory landscape for blockchain technology is
still evolving. Ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements is
important for the widespread adoption of blockchain in journalism.
3. User Adoption: For blockchain to be effective in journalism, widespread adoption
by journalists, media organizations, and readers is necessary. This requires
education and training to ensure that all stakeholders understand the technology
and its benefits.
4. Technical Complexity: Blockchain technology can be complex and requires
technical expertise to implement and maintain. Ensuring that media organizations
have the necessary resources and skills is essential.
16.6 Conclusion
Blockchain technology holds significant promise for transforming journalism by enhancing
transparency, security, and trust. By providing a secure and tamper-proof way to verify
the authenticity of news, protect intellectual property, and ensure fair compensation,
blockchain can address many of the challenges facing modern journalism. As the
technology continues to evolve and mature, it is likely to play an increasingly important
role in shaping the future of digital journalism.
16.7 Further Reading and Resources
• Blockchain in Journalism: A New Dawn?
• Civil: The Decentralized Platform for Independent Journalism (https://civil.co/)
• Po.et: Blockchain-based Protocol for Content Ownership (https://po.et/)

These resources provide additional insights and examples of how blockchain technology
is being applied in the field of journalism.

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17 Ethics and Digital Journalism
Digital journalism raises several ethical considerations, including issues of privacy,
accuracy, and accountability. Journalists must navigate challenges such as maintaining
the accuracy of information, protecting sources' confidentiality, and avoiding the spread
of misinformation. Adhering to ethical guidelines and best practices is crucial for
maintaining trust and credibility in the digital age.
17.1 Challenges to Traditional Ethics:
• Anonymity and Verification: The internet's anonymity can make it challenging to
verify information and identify sources.
• Accuracy and Misinformation: The rapid spread of information online can
contribute to the spread of misinformation and fake news.
• Privacy Concerns: Digital journalism raises ethical questions about data
collection, privacy, and the use of personal information.
• Objectivity and Bias: Online platforms can create echo chambers and filter
bubbles, potentially reinforcing biases and limiting exposure to diverse
perspectives.
• Online Harassment and Threats: Journalists face increased risks of online
harassment, threats, and intimidation, particularly for those covering sensitive or
controversial topics.
17.2 Best Practices for Ethical Digital Journalism:
• Verification and Fact-Checking: Journalists should strive to verify information
from multiple sources and use fact-checking tools to ensure accuracy.
• Transparency and Attribution: Journalists should be transparent about their
sources and attribution, citing information accurately and avoiding plagiarism.
• Privacy and Data Protection: Journalists should respect the privacy of
individuals and adhere to ethical guidelines regarding data collection and use.
• Addressing Bias: Journalists should strive for objectivity and balance in their
reporting, recognizing the potential for biases in online platforms.
• Online Safety and Security: Journalists should take precautions to protect
themselves from online harassment, threats, and security breaches.

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18 News Integrity Initiative
18.1 Overview
News Integrity Initiative by Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, The City
University of New York (CUNY)

The News Integrity Initiative, launched in April 2017, is a collaborative effort dedicated to
promoting news literacy and increasing trust in journalism on a global scale. With an initial
fund of $14 million, the initiative is supported by a consortium of tech leaders, academic
institutions, and philanthropic organizations. It aims to help people make informed
judgments about the news they consume and share online, thereby fostering well-
informed communities and enhancing the overall integrity of journalism.
18.2 Founding Funders
The initiative is supported by the following founding funders:
• Facebook
• Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund
• Ford Foundation
• Democracy Fund
• John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
• Tow Foundation
• AppNexus
• Mozilla
• Betaworks
18.3 Administration and Leadership
The News Integrity Initiative is administered by the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.
Under the auspices of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism, led by
Professor Jeff Jarvis, the initiative operates as an independent project within the
journalism school. The initiative's activities, including research, special projects, and
events, are coordinated by a general manager reporting to the dean of the CUNY J-
School, Sarah Bartlett.
18.4 Mission and Goals
Mission: To advance news literacy, increase trust in journalism worldwide, and better
inform public conversations.

Goals:
1. Enhance News Literacy: Provide tools and resources to help individuals critically
evaluate the news they encounter.
2. Increase Trust in Journalism: Foster trust in credible journalism through
transparency and accountability.
3. Promote Informed Communities: Support projects and research that encourage
informed public discourse.

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18.5 Key Participants and Collaborators
Early participants who contribute to discussions, host events, and bring projects and
research to the initiative include:
▪ Arizona State University (U.S.)
▪ Center for Community and Ethnic Media at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
(U.S.)
▪ Constructive Institute at Aarhus University (Denmark)
▪ Edelman (U.S.)
▪ European Journalism Centre (Netherlands)
▪ Fundación Gabriel García Márquez para el Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano
(Colombia)
▪ Hamburg Media School (Germany)
▪ Hans-Bredow-Institut (Germany)
▪ The Ida B. Wells Society (U.S.)
▪ International Center for Journalists (U.S.)
▪ News Literacy Project (U.S.)
▪ Polis, London School of Economics (U.K.)
▪ Ecole de Journalisme de Sciences Po (France)
▪ The Society of Publishers in Asia (Hong Kong)
▪ Trust Project (U.S.)
▪ Walkley Foundation (Australia)
▪ Weber Shandwick (U.S.)
▪ Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales
▪ UNESCO Division for Freedom of Expression and Media Development (France)
18.6 Strategic Activities
1. Funding Applied Research and Projects: Support innovative research and
projects aimed at improving news literacy and trust in journalism.
2. Convening Meetings: Organize events and discussions with industry experts to
share insights and strategies for advancing news integrity.
3. Engaging with the Academic Community: Provide opportunities for faculty and
students at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism to engage in research,
experiments, and events related to news literacy and journalism integrity.
18.7 Impact and Importance
The News Integrity Initiative is a crucial effort in the current media landscape, where
misinformation and distrust in journalism are prevalent. By promoting news literacy and
supporting trustworthy journalism, the initiative aims to create a more informed public and
a stronger, more credible media environment.

For more details, please visit the official announcement
(https://www.journalism.cuny.edu/2017/04/announcing-the-new-integrity-initiative/)

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19 The Future of Web Journalism
The future of web journalism is shaped by technological advancements and changing
audience preferences. Emerging trends include the use of artificial intelligence (AI),
augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for immersive storytelling, the rise of
subscription-based models, and the increasing importance of mobile-friendly content.
Staying abreast of these trends and continuously adapting to new technologies will be
essential for the success of web journalism in the future.

Emerging technologies like, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) are opening
new possibilities for storytelling, engagement, and immersive experiences. Journalists
need to embrace these innovations and adapt to the ever-changing media landscape.

This overview provides a solid foundation for your Digital Journalism course. Remember
to expand on these points and incorporate specific examples relevant to India's unique
digital media landscape and the challenges and opportunities facing journalists in the
country.
20 Building a Digital Journalism Career
20.1 Skills and Qualifications:
• Strong Writing and Reporting Skills: Journalists need to be able to write clear,
concise, and engaging content.
• Multimedia Skills: Journalists should have a good understanding of how to work
with different media formats, including text, audio, video, and images.
• Data Analysis and Visualization: Journalists should be comfortable working with
data, conducting analysis, and creating visualizations.
• Social Media Expertise: Journalists should be familiar with social media
platforms, how to use them to build audiences, and how to engage with readers
online.
• SEO and Web Development Fundamentals: Journalists should have a basic
understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) and web development
principles.
20.2 Career Paths:
• Online Reporter: Journalists who focus on covering news and stories online.
• Social Media Manager: Journalists who manage social media accounts for news
organizations.
• Data Journalist: Journalists who specialize in data analysis and visualization.
• Multimedia Journalist: Journalists who create multimedia content, combining
text, audio, video, and interactive elements.
• Web Producer or Editor: Journalists who oversee the production and publication
of online content.

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20.3 Resources and Networking:
• Professional Organizations: The Online News Association (ONA), the American
Society of News Editors (ASNE), and others offer resources, networking
opportunities, and professional development programs.
• Online Platforms and Portals: Journalism.co.uk, Nieman Lab, The Tow Center
for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, and others provide news, analysis,
and resources for journalists.
• Social Media Groups and Networks: Journalists can connect with others in the
field through LinkedIn, Twitter, and other platforms.
20.4 Tips for Success:
• Develop a Strong Portfolio: Create a portfolio of your best work, showcasing
your skills and experience.
• Network with Other Journalists: Attend industry events, connect with people on
social media, and build relationships with other professionals.
• Stay Up-to-Date with Trends: Continuously learn and adapt to the rapidly
changing digital media landscape.
• Be Passionate and Driven: Digital journalism requires dedication, creativity, and
a passion for sharing stories.
21 Free Online Digital Certification Programs
• Reuters Digital Journalism Course: Offered in association with the Reuters Institute,
this course provides comprehensive training in digital journalism. Reuters Digital
Journalism Course (https://www.facebook.com/formedia/blog/reuters-digital-journalism-
course)
• Facebook Blueprint Courses for Journalists: In association with the Poynter Institute,
these courses offer specialized training for journalists to enhance their digital skills.
Facebook Blueprint Courses (https://www.facebook.com/blueprint/courses/journalists/)
• SWAYAM MOOC Program : Offered by the National Programme on Technology
Enhanced Learning, Govt of India, and approved by Pondicherry University, this program
provides a robust curriculum in digital journalism. SWAYAM MOOC Program
(https://onlinecourses.swayam2.ac.in/cec24_ge19/preview)
• Google News Initiative: Offers a variety of free courses and resources for journalists to
develop their digital skills and stay updated with the latest industry trends. Google News
Initiative (https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/)
• Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: Offers Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) on various aspects of digital journalism, including data journalism, investigative
reporting, and multimedia storytelling. Knight Center Courses
(https://journalismcourses.org/)
• edX: Provides free courses on digital media, journalism ethics, and more, in collaboration
with top universities and institutions. edX Journalism Courses
• Coursera: Offers free courses in partnership with universities such as the University of
London, Michigan State University, and the University of Pennsylvania, covering topics
like social media in journalism, digital media literacy, and investigative journalism.
Coursera Journalism Courses (https://www.coursera.org/browse/arts-and-
humanities/journalism)

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• FutureLearn: Features courses from respected institutions on digital journalism, media
freedom, and the impact of technology on news. FutureLearn Journalism Courses

These resources and certification programs provide a comprehensive foundation for
aspiring and current journalists to enhance their skills in the digital journalism landscape.

Please Note: Web Journalism Certification program by Meta is not available at present,
the following course Meta and Poynter Institute offered program may available in future.
As part of the Facebook Journalism Project, they are committed to improving their training
and tools for journalists. The Facebook for Journalists Certificate was a free curriculum
to make it easier for journalists to utilize Facebook and Instagram in their daily work: from
newsgathering, to storytelling in new formats to engaging with their followers. Course
enrolees who pass Poynter's written assessment will receive a certificate of completion,
recognized by both Facebook and Poynter, via Blueprint, Fb’s e-learning system.
22 Additional Resources:
▪ Pew Research Center: Extensive data and analysis on digital media and journalism.
▪ The Online News Association (ONA): A leading organization for online journalists, with
resources, training, and events.
▪ Journalism.co.uk: A website with news, analysis, and resources for journalists.
▪ Nieman Lab: A blog from the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University,
focusing on innovation and the future of journalism.
▪ The Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University: A research center
dedicated to studying the changing media landscape.
▪ Google News Initiative (GNI): Provides training, tools, and support for journalists to help
them innovate and thrive in the digital age.
▪ Meta Journalism Project: Aims to support quality journalism and help news organizations
thrive through partnerships, programs, and training.
▪ Poynter Institute: Offers training and resources for journalists to improve their craft and
adapt to the evolving digital landscape.
▪ Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Conducts research and provides
resources on journalism and the media industry, with a focus on digital transformation and
innovation.
▪ International Center for Journalists (ICFJ): Provides programs and resources to
enhance the skills and knowledge of journalists worldwide, with a strong focus on digital
journalism.
▪ Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: Offers online courses, webinars, and
resources to help journalists improve their digital skills and knowledge.

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23 Acronyms used in this book
4
4G: Fourth Generation, 31
A
Acessibility: A11y, 21
AI: Artificial Intelligence, 58
ANSE: American Society of News Editors, 19, 68
API: Application Programming Interface, 26, 28
AR: Augmented Reality, 9, 11, 67
C
CGI: Computer-Generated Imagery, 35, 39
CIN: Company Incorporation No, 19
CPM: Cost Per Impressions, 30
D
DMCA: Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 54
G
GNI: Google News Initiative, 69, 70
I
ICFJ: International Center for Journalists, 70
IPCT: International Press Telecommunications Council, 17
L
LLMs: Large Language Models, 59
M
MBPS: Megabits Per Second, 31
MOOC: Massive Open Online Courses, 69
N
NAI: News Paper Association of India, 19
NB: Nota Bene meaning Note Well, 27
O
ONA: The Online News Association, 68, 70
P
PCC: Press Complaints Commission, 15
PIN: Postal Index Number, 19
Q
Q&A: Question and Answer, 27, 32
R
RDFa: Resource Description Framework in attributes, 18
RSS: Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, 21,
22; Really Simple Syndication” or "Rich Site Summary",
13
RTDNA: The Radio Television Digital News Association, 19
S
SEO: Search Engine Optimisation, 9, 13, 14, 23, 68
U
UGC: User Generated Content, 47
URL: Uniform Resource Locator, 19, 20, 51, 52, 53, 54
US: United States, 7, 33
UTF: Unicode Transformation Format, 21
V
VAT: Value Added Tax, 20
VR: Virtual Reality, 9, 11, 67
W
Wi-Fi: Wireless Fidelity, 26
X
XML: Extensible Markup Language, 21