Around the Wire: Location Related Data, Video for Writers and More Media Moves

Welcome to Around the Wire, PR Newswire’s round up of journalism, blogging and freelancing stories from the week.

Photo by woodleywonderworks; used under CC BY

The Upshot Uses Geolocation to Push Readers Deeper into Data (Nieman Lab)

News outlets are beginning to change the text of stories and interactive features based on readers’ locations, a practice that is being touted as a “fine line between a smarter default and being creepy.” Location is determined through an IP address or freely provided by the user. The example used here is a story titled The Best and Worst Places to Grow Up: How Your Area Compares produced by The New York Times blog The Upshot. The U.S. county from where you search determines the story provided, one that has been rewritten by bots with information specified to your location.

Indemnity Clauses Leave Freelancers Open to Lawsuits (Poynter)

Best piece of advice for freelance writers? Be sure to read an outlet’s indemnity clause before signing anything. Otherwise one may end up like Dolia Estevez, a contributor to Forbes currently being sued for defamation ‘under New York law’ for a story she wrote for the outlet in 2013 titled “10 Most Corrupt Mexicans of 2013.” Forbes walked away summoning the contract that states freelance authors are “responsible for any legal claims arising.” This piece provides information on what freelancers should look for when it comes to contracts and the best clause to use in order to protect themselves.

BBC and AFP Experiment in Africa Coverage (World Editors Forum Blog)

Two large outlets are advancing and experimenting with their news coverage in Africa, a developing continent whose digital audience is quickly expanding. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) revamped its website and delivers more Africa-related content and even introduced a section called “Africa Live.” Likewise, AFP (Agence France-Presse) launched “Africa Weekly,” a 10-minute broadcast on the continent provided in both French and English. The need for international coverage of this continent is expected to grow as the market develops along with it.

Video is Set to Dominate the Internet in 2018 – so What the Hell Should Writers Do? (Contently’s The Freelancer Blog)

Freelance copywriter Katie Sherman outlines the method of turning a 1,000-word article into a short video, a medium which has yet to reach its peak on the internet. She provides a “Words to Minutes Calculator” and some excellent tips on how a journalist can transition into a multi-media storyteller through video production.

Media Moves and News for the Week of May 4 (PR Newswire’s Media Moves)

Media Moves keeps you up to date with who went where in the world of media. This week’s edition includes new additions to Fusion.net, a promotion at The New York Times and a new Digital Editor for Fortune.

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Stephanie de Ruiter is an audience researcher with PR Newswire keeping up with media moves throughout the nation with a focus on blogs and online publications.