Last year @RayJoe and I developed a list of South African journalists on Twitter. Over the past few months this list has grown from the initial handful into a list of more than 300 working journalists on Twitter, and the list keeps on growing. The list is open to all working journalists in South Africa and is maintained [...]
Media training in an increasingly digital age
I’m fortunate enough to be involved, albeit part-time, with the recently re-established Independent Newspapers Cadet School. Three years ago the group, which publishes titles such as The Star, Cape Times, Argus and Pretoria News, decided to revive the cadet school which had been closed down many years before because of financial constraints and a changing [...]
Posted by Alastair Otter on February 15, 2012
http://mediahack.co.za/2012/02/media-training-in-an-increasingly-digital-age/
A Black Tuesday clothing hack
My Black Tuesday shirt. I’m not sure this was the original intention when @mybroadband gave me this shirt but with the addition of a small red gag I think it serves a purpose. Support the Right2Know campaign and oppose the Protection of [State] Information Bill.
Posted by Alastair Otter on December 5, 2011
http://mediahack.co.za/2011/12/a-black-tuesday-clothing-hack/
eBooks: part of a survival strategy for news organisations
It’s pretty obvious now that if news publishers want to survive this rough period they’re going to have to be smart, clever and brave. In particular they’re going to look beyond their traditional markets to new ventures that draw on existing skills but tap into new income streams. Two things that all news organisations have [...]
Posted by Alastair Otter on November 15, 2011
http://mediahack.co.za/2011/11/ebooks-part-of-a-survival-strategy-for-news-organisations/
When printed newspapers become too expensive to survive
Today’s quote of the day comes via The New York Times and is from MediaNews chief John Paton who heads up the US’s second-largest news publisher. On the future of print Paton had this to say: At some point, print is going to cost more money than it is worth. If you don’t have a [...]
Posted by Alastair Otter on November 15, 2011
http://mediahack.co.za/2011/11/when-printed-newspapers-become-too-expensive-to-survive/
Daily newspapers: a twilight industry
It’s not a pretty picture if you’re a newspaper publisher. Daily newspaper sales dropped by more than 72,000 copies over the past three months when compared with the same period last year, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) numbers released today. Of the four major newspaper groups only Caxton managed to return [...]
Posted by Alastair Otter on November 14, 2011
http://mediahack.co.za/2011/11/daily-newspapers-a-twilight-industry/
Three things newspapers could learn from Gordon Ramsay
I’m a fan of cooking shows. My long-suffering family has to put up with hours of Jamie, Gordon and Nigella as they turn out mouth-watering dishes that I promise to one day replicate. On of my favourite TV chefs is Gordon Ramsay. I ’ve watched most of the shows: the one where he saves bad [...]
Posted by Alastair Otter on November 9, 2011
http://mediahack.co.za/2011/11/three-things-newspapers-could-learn-from-gordon-ramsay/
No guarantees for newspapers battling change
News organisations are in a terrible place right now. Newspapers are dying and yet news on tablets, PCs and mobile are generating nowhere near the revenue hoped for. Even worse, it’s unlikely that these new digital platforms will ever deliver the types of revenues enjoyed during the heyday of newsprint. Readers just aren’t prepared to pay for [...]
Posted by Alastair Otter on November 3, 2011
http://mediahack.co.za/2011/11/no-guarantees-for-newspapers-battling-change/