//Shubha Bala /August 10 / 2012
Required Reading: SA journalists embrace digital and Indian mobile users ditch print
Here is our first weekly round-up of important trends, statistics and information from around the world that we have found in the last week. We think these articles will help you better understand how the digital transition is progressing in your country or region.
Digital Journalism
Print Media South Africa adds digital to its mix
The industry body Print Media South Africa has changed its name to Print and Digital Media South Africa to reflect that digital is an extension of what journalists do, not a threat. CEO of Print and Digital Media South Africa, Ingrid Louw, said:
We have taken a conscious decision not to defend our print past and present but to rally around written journalism – news and opinion – on whatever platform it is carried. We realise that print and digital co-exist and that journalism values remain the same on both platforms.
Indonesian online journalists to have own code of ethics
The Online Journalist Association (IWO) announced on Wednesday that it would be creating a code of ethics for online journalists by year end. Iskandar Sitorus, one of the groups founders, said that the the code of ethics was being developed to improve issues of professionalism that sometimes “occasionally trouble online journalists”.
Another group, the Alliance of Independent Journalists, outlined the problem in a survey of recent coverage of the Jakarta gubernatorial elections that found online media suffered the greatest number of violations of journalistic principles, such as verification and accuracy.
The Digital News Test Kitchen at the University of Colorado created a report on predict-the-news games, in part by its own experience rolling out such a game on the university’s news website. In addition to outlining their own experience, they give other examples of predict-the-news games which might spark some ideas for future ways to interact with your audience. The examples range from scoreboards showing top predictors of future news events, games in which you predict other people’s reactions to news, and even a fantasy-league supreme court game, similar to fantasy sports leagues but adapted for news applications.
Internet trends
25 surprising facts about Brazilian Internet users
Throughout the day Brazilian Internet users prefer going online over reading a newspaper (or watching TV), according to an IAB Brazil survey. Another statistic that jumped out at us is that “85% of female Brazilian Internet users say the Internet is very important to them, compared to 79% of the men who say this”.
Russian tech giants aim to replicate success abroad
Russian technology firms – search engine giant Yandex, social media network Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki – are determined to expand their overseas markets after presenting Google and Facebook with stiff competition in Russia.
Beyond the article, one market that Yandex is targeting is the rapidly growing Turkish internet market. Unlike in Russia, where Yandex comes out on top over Google, in Turkey, Google owns the market, according to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet. Yandex wants to win at least 15 to 20 percent of the Turkish market in three to five years. To help it build market share, it is partnering with all social media in Turkey, Yandex founder Arkady Volozh told BusinessWeek.
Mobile
Indians ditch newspapers for consuming content on smartphones
A new survey has found that 40% of the estimated 48 m mobile internet users in India have shifted 50% of their newspaper and TV time to their mobile screens. Popular content includes entertainment, all categories of news, travel and sports content.
Social Media
Facebook’s app center for non-English countries
Facebook rolls out its app center to non-English speaking countries – Brazil, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey. The App Center allows Facebook users to find new apps and games based on personalised Facebook recommendations.
Finish start-up Scoopinion launches frictionless sharing right
This Helsinki-based start-up provides both consumers of news, and producers of news, with frictionless sharing of news articles by sharing only articles that are relevant – not every frivolous click like Facebook currently does. It also provides journalists with detailed information about how long readers have read their article for, and even a heat-map based on scrolling patterns.
Such analytical tools allow journalists to understand how audiences are responding to the content they produce and develop ways to improve audience response.
Metrics and analytics
New Zopim makes it easier for you to engage your most important customers
Zopim, a Singapore-based start-up, has launched a new service, Triggers, to engage your most important customers by alerting you when key customers drop by your site. This tool could help news businesses engage with their most loyal consumer base and adjust to their preferences
Article by Shubha Bala
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