Chatting with Perumal Venatesan, fondly known as Pee-Vee, an account director who also runs Bangalore Weekend Shoots, on citizen journalism and its future in the Indian media was an eye-opener.
Pee-Vee feels the future of any form of media -- online, social, print and even advertising -- is going to be 'crowd journalism'. "Citizens' contribution will give us much-needed variety of choice. We may not be able to get everything from professionals," he says.
I looked at Wipro's official website, which changes its homepage picture once every 10 days, and was impressed by their innovative, forward-looking initiative 'crowdsourcing'. Essentially, the company asks page viewers to decide on their homepage theme. Visitors to the Wipro Technologies homepage will be provided with an option to vote for their preferred homepage. The option with the maximum number of votes will be chosen.
Statistics on Indian citizen journalism show that four out of 10 educated people in India contribute to a citizen journalism portals across the globe. It does not stop there: a country that took to the tech-age much later than the USA or Europe also boasts of a large number of citizen journalism portals, for example Merinews.com, Whitedrums.com, Mynews.in, South Asian Citizen Reporters Network (Sacrn.com), Purdafash.com and Calcuttacentral.com. There are even rural citizen journalists who contribute to portals like Merikhabar.com and Janataadalat.com.
There are four ways in which citizen journalism has grown with the help of the blogging community. Apart from text, news aggregation and comment blogs, there's photo-blogging (on sites like Flickr), video-blogging (on sites like YouTube) and micro-blogging (on sites like Twitter).
Well, what is citizen journalism? It is news created by amateur reporters who were previously seen as the audience and remain so even now in the form of viewers or readers. The root of citizen journalism lies in self-printed pamphlets that were once distributed by the street-side. By enabling everyone to report without the interference of gatekeepers such as editors, social media has democratised journalism and enriched it by bringing in a diversity of views and voices.
The difference between Western citizen journalism and its Indian counterpart, according to me, is the fact that the former seems more attuned to neighbourhood and celebrity gossip, while the latter focuses on serious developmental issues such as climate change, health, science, politics, the environment or social problems.
Michael Zelbel, a content and visual citizen journalist from Germany, says, "Citizen journalism will transform social media interaction and distribution, which in a way will be through word-of-mouth online media and through a string of friends who inform and update."
Zelbel also feels that newspapers and magazines, which constitute the print medium, have to create space for citizen journalism efforts since this will build a community base, which they can cater to and build as potential long-term readers. Indian newspapers should develop dedicated citizen journalism pages - something that will put them far ahead of their counterparts in the West.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
War coverage - the ultimate challenge for visual journalists
The poem named War Photographer penned by Carol Ann Duffy is a testimony in itself for the hardships a war photographer fights within himself, with his peers at office, and the pressure of being kept away from the war front at the behest of close family members.
When I was asked to peg something on the city in my columns my thoughts raced back to a quote - "Photography is like music which as no caste, creed, religion, sex and above all it as no geographical area with which it sticks too". Photography has provided imagery evidence of places which are now being used by the human scientific community to research and land themselves on the planet Mars. These first pictures of the red planet were provided by NASA's Spirit Rover on January 21 2004.
Well, forget about going that far. Look at the various war coverages by many prominent visual journalists who put their lives at risk to provide their readers what they could not get to see. Many editors and quality writers of top leading newspapers across the world shy away from the battlefield for fear of coming in the way of a stray bullet. It is at these times that many photojournalists don the cap of a visual and text content provider for many an organisation which boast of big names who ink the canvas on the fly when it comes to table top writing.
Closer to home, during a meeting of crime beat reporters with the editor of a reputed paper to discuss their hits and misses of the week, of which I was a part too, I was dumbfounded when they appealed in chorus that a photojournalist accompany them as they "are scared of going alone on dangerous crime assignments", including riots and even cases like a murder, suicide or road accident, fearing they will be beaten up by the emotional relatives of the dead. This without the thought of how a photojournalist is going to help them from a murdering crowd in a riot situation. Well is the photojournalist going to protect the reporter from the stone missiles thrown at the media or is he going to concentrate on moving around to get the best image while risking his life? Many a visual journalist have given their lives to ensure that they get that one great picture for the world outside to see.
Late veteran war photographer Ropert Capa had said soon after the end of World War II - " I hope to stay unemployed as a war photographer till the end of my life," and also added, "War is like a ageing actress: more and more dangerous and less and less photogenic". What forced Capa to say these words is anyone's guess, as war is a fascinating experience, captivating to its audience and deadly at the same time.
A photojournalist comes full circle only after he/ she gets an opportunity to cover a civil unrest, a riot or a war. This makes them all the more potent, making them true visual journalists with a rare distinction.
When I was asked to peg something on the city in my columns my thoughts raced back to a quote - "Photography is like music which as no caste, creed, religion, sex and above all it as no geographical area with which it sticks too". Photography has provided imagery evidence of places which are now being used by the human scientific community to research and land themselves on the planet Mars. These first pictures of the red planet were provided by NASA's Spirit Rover on January 21 2004.
Well, forget about going that far. Look at the various war coverages by many prominent visual journalists who put their lives at risk to provide their readers what they could not get to see. Many editors and quality writers of top leading newspapers across the world shy away from the battlefield for fear of coming in the way of a stray bullet. It is at these times that many photojournalists don the cap of a visual and text content provider for many an organisation which boast of big names who ink the canvas on the fly when it comes to table top writing.
Closer to home, during a meeting of crime beat reporters with the editor of a reputed paper to discuss their hits and misses of the week, of which I was a part too, I was dumbfounded when they appealed in chorus that a photojournalist accompany them as they "are scared of going alone on dangerous crime assignments", including riots and even cases like a murder, suicide or road accident, fearing they will be beaten up by the emotional relatives of the dead. This without the thought of how a photojournalist is going to help them from a murdering crowd in a riot situation. Well is the photojournalist going to protect the reporter from the stone missiles thrown at the media or is he going to concentrate on moving around to get the best image while risking his life? Many a visual journalist have given their lives to ensure that they get that one great picture for the world outside to see.
Late veteran war photographer Ropert Capa had said soon after the end of World War II - " I hope to stay unemployed as a war photographer till the end of my life," and also added, "War is like a ageing actress: more and more dangerous and less and less photogenic". What forced Capa to say these words is anyone's guess, as war is a fascinating experience, captivating to its audience and deadly at the same time.
A photojournalist comes full circle only after he/ she gets an opportunity to cover a civil unrest, a riot or a war. This makes them all the more potent, making them true visual journalists with a rare distinction.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Hark! The age of the multitasker is at hand
The best discussions are had over a mug or two of the cold brew — or in my case, a cold lemonade. A few days ago a group of us were taking stock of the lessons the recession taught us. They are myriad, and many will be acted upon, while others are swept under the rug only to emerge the next time it’s pulled from under our feet.
Journalism in all its garbs has been badly hit by the global downturn. Newspapers shrunk, TV channels got all fluffy to fill time slots, and the Internet? Well it just chugged along as usual.
If there’s one lesson that towers over all others, it’s that the second decade of the 21st Century will be the Decade of the Multitasker (men are going to have hard time). Gone are the days of specialization. In journalism especially, you’ve got to now know how to do a number of things: Reporters should be able to edit, Editors should be able to design pages, page designers should be able to write, and photographers should be able to do all of the above.
Having said that, we still haven’t seemed to have got the message. In my field, for instance, photographers still believe that their only job is to take a picture. They’re wrong. Not only must they now be able to take a picture, but their caption must put it in context, and they should be able to write a report if required.
This is also the decade where specialized journalists will battle for their places with citizens, and those from other fields (many copywriters can give today’s journalists a run for their money, as can creative photographers).
It’s all down to calculations. Am I getting bang for my buck? As advertising revenue shrinks and staff strengths whittle down to lean mean machines, the question of sending a photographer specifically to cover the five days that comprise a test match takes on a whole new answer. Can I afford to spend Rs10,000 on the assignment? The photo editor must ask himself. Or would I be better of using wire pictures, or a cheaper freelancer?
However, if my photographer can not only take photographs but also file a copy from the stadium then the answer’s a no-brainer…I’m going to send my man.
With the clamour, around the world, for visual journalists, it is also imperative that photographers visualize their photograph on a page, and be able to design that page if need be.
No longer can Indian journalists be content to do their jobs, and only their jobs. Across sectors knowledge is beginning to rule. The knowledge to do more than is expected of you; the knowledge to fill in across job profiles; the knowledge to write, edit, photograph and design (or at least three out of four).
Indian journalism is about 12 years behind the West. We watch now as their print industry crumbles. Ours may too, unless we heed their warnings and learn from their mistakes. We must look to the Web, whip our journalists into shape and expect only excellence. If we want to thrive than nothing less will do.
Journalism in all its garbs has been badly hit by the global downturn. Newspapers shrunk, TV channels got all fluffy to fill time slots, and the Internet? Well it just chugged along as usual.
If there’s one lesson that towers over all others, it’s that the second decade of the 21st Century will be the Decade of the Multitasker (men are going to have hard time). Gone are the days of specialization. In journalism especially, you’ve got to now know how to do a number of things: Reporters should be able to edit, Editors should be able to design pages, page designers should be able to write, and photographers should be able to do all of the above.
Having said that, we still haven’t seemed to have got the message. In my field, for instance, photographers still believe that their only job is to take a picture. They’re wrong. Not only must they now be able to take a picture, but their caption must put it in context, and they should be able to write a report if required.
This is also the decade where specialized journalists will battle for their places with citizens, and those from other fields (many copywriters can give today’s journalists a run for their money, as can creative photographers).
It’s all down to calculations. Am I getting bang for my buck? As advertising revenue shrinks and staff strengths whittle down to lean mean machines, the question of sending a photographer specifically to cover the five days that comprise a test match takes on a whole new answer. Can I afford to spend Rs10,000 on the assignment? The photo editor must ask himself. Or would I be better of using wire pictures, or a cheaper freelancer?
However, if my photographer can not only take photographs but also file a copy from the stadium then the answer’s a no-brainer…I’m going to send my man.
With the clamour, around the world, for visual journalists, it is also imperative that photographers visualize their photograph on a page, and be able to design that page if need be.
No longer can Indian journalists be content to do their jobs, and only their jobs. Across sectors knowledge is beginning to rule. The knowledge to do more than is expected of you; the knowledge to fill in across job profiles; the knowledge to write, edit, photograph and design (or at least three out of four).
Indian journalism is about 12 years behind the West. We watch now as their print industry crumbles. Ours may too, unless we heed their warnings and learn from their mistakes. We must look to the Web, whip our journalists into shape and expect only excellence. If we want to thrive than nothing less will do.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
In photography, it’s all about the rules of the game
Sports photography is arguably one of the hardest disciplines of the art form. It takes an immense amount of patience and practice to follow and focus on a ball through 90 minutes of football, 70 minutes of hockey or an entire day’s play on the cricket field.
In fact sports photographers require to practice as much as the athletes they photograph do. First up knowledge of the sport one is covering is paramount. Without that knowledge getting the perfect photograph that epitomises a day’s play is virtually impossible. You need to recognize the key moments in a game, who the star players are, and also the standing of the game in the grand scheme of things. This knowledge will enable you to make sure that your camera’s at the ready seconds before a major event takes place during the course of a game.
The photographer needs to have the know-how to realize that a spectrum of passes from the right wing to the left and back to the centre is going to result in a goal for a particular team and should ensure that he follows the so that he gets the all-important moment of the goal being scored.
During a cricket match the photographer must realize that a bowler who has taken two wickets in the space of four overs, and is bowling to a new batsman, has a good chance of picking up another wicket. Time to get that camera ready.
Sports photography is also one of the more rewarding types of photography. Due to the sheer pace of the action, it is more difficult to master. The photographer is left with milliseconds in which to take into account angles, emotion, and even on which players he plans to focus. This is what sets it apart from other forms of photography where the shutterbug has minutes, if not hours to ponder composition, lighting, and allows him to plan a shot.
Sport stirs the soul – for millions of fans, watching their favourite teams fight for victory, even if they end up in defeat, inspires them in their day-to-day lives. Your photos can have a similar impact. Imagine a parent’s delight when you present them with a picture, through your newspaper, of their child scoring a goal in a nail-biting game of school hockey, it will affirm their dedication – and yours – and inspire them for many years to come.
Even as I close this weeks piece I would like to wish our readers a happy “Twenty Ten”, in the hope that the coming days will bring it a wealth of stunning imagery, for you and for me.
In fact sports photographers require to practice as much as the athletes they photograph do. First up knowledge of the sport one is covering is paramount. Without that knowledge getting the perfect photograph that epitomises a day’s play is virtually impossible. You need to recognize the key moments in a game, who the star players are, and also the standing of the game in the grand scheme of things. This knowledge will enable you to make sure that your camera’s at the ready seconds before a major event takes place during the course of a game.
The photographer needs to have the know-how to realize that a spectrum of passes from the right wing to the left and back to the centre is going to result in a goal for a particular team and should ensure that he follows the so that he gets the all-important moment of the goal being scored.
During a cricket match the photographer must realize that a bowler who has taken two wickets in the space of four overs, and is bowling to a new batsman, has a good chance of picking up another wicket. Time to get that camera ready.
Sports photography is also one of the more rewarding types of photography. Due to the sheer pace of the action, it is more difficult to master. The photographer is left with milliseconds in which to take into account angles, emotion, and even on which players he plans to focus. This is what sets it apart from other forms of photography where the shutterbug has minutes, if not hours to ponder composition, lighting, and allows him to plan a shot.
Sport stirs the soul – for millions of fans, watching their favourite teams fight for victory, even if they end up in defeat, inspires them in their day-to-day lives. Your photos can have a similar impact. Imagine a parent’s delight when you present them with a picture, through your newspaper, of their child scoring a goal in a nail-biting game of school hockey, it will affirm their dedication – and yours – and inspire them for many years to come.
Even as I close this weeks piece I would like to wish our readers a happy “Twenty Ten”, in the hope that the coming days will bring it a wealth of stunning imagery, for you and for me.
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