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Public Interest Journalism Foundation Newsletter- February 2012

Welcome to the first foundation newsletter for 2012. To bring in the new year here's a wrap up of the latest journalism initiatives, innovations and news of interest.

In this edition…

Coal Seam Gas: Behind the Seams

By Mark Bahnisch

In collaboration with Crikey, FAQ Research has brought together leading researchers and writers to shine the light of reason on the Coal Seam Gas issue during the Queensland election campaign. This is an Australian first for analytical and interactive journalism. Our joint investigation, Coal Seam Gas: Behind the Seams will mix field reporting with factual articles from leading scientists, and bring clarity and accountability to a foggy debate. FAQ Research is crowdsourcing our funding, and will not accept donations from players with stakes in the game. To support this independent media initiative, please go to our fundraising site.

Is it good for Journalism when sources go direct?

By Mathew Ingram via gigaom.com

In a piece in the New York Times on the weekend, media writer David Carr took a look at News Corp. billionaire Rupert Murdoch's use of Twitter, and how the media mogul has used it as both a bully pulpit and a soapbox. Carr's fellow media writer Brian Stelter, however, has a somewhat different view: at a conference on social media at Columbia University, Stelter said that "sources going direct," as Murdoch has done with Twitter, is one of most disruptive changes that have hit journalism in the digital age... (read full article)

Can Journalism graduates get jobs?

By Diana Bossio via theconversation.edu.au

It usually begins mid-way through their university career.

My office begins to fill with panicked journalism students who have seen the dismal job vacancies in their field and are starting to think their degree might have prepared them for a career in burger flipping.

A look at the industry might suggest they're right... (read full article)

Ten Questions with Monica Attard

By Sally Jackson via theaustralian.com.au

TODAY is the launch day of non-profit online journalism start-up The Global Mail. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Graeme Wood, founder of accommodation website Wotif.com, is putting at least $15 million into the project and hired as editor-in-chief former ABC stalwart Monica Attard, who faces Ten Questions... (read full article)

Go Behind the scenes at Meld

By Karen Poh via meldmagazine.com.au

HAVE you ever wondered what goes on inside the newsroom? How do reporters, photographers, editors and designers put together the pages of your favourite paper or magazine? For 2012, we've decided to do things very differently... (read full article)

New Kid on the Block: The enthusiasm of the Enthusiast

By Margaret Simons via Crikey.com.au

There is a strong myth in new and independent media, says freelance journalist and new media entrepreneur Mel Campbell.

It goes like this: "If you work really hard to be good at something you really love and believe in, people will organically discover it and love it too, and you'll build a grassroots following, and then an investor or a publisher will come along and you'll end up doing it for a day job."

Three years after Campbell and her collaborators Andrew Tijs and Daniel Zugna launched a stylish online independent pop culture periodical, she is here to tell us that it ain't necessarily so... (read full article)

Guardian pins digital future on Citizen Journalism

By Katherine Rushton via thetelegraph.co.uk

Adam Freeman, executive director of commercial at Guardian News & Media, told a conference in Oxford that the loss-making newspaper was moving towards an "open vision for journalism", whereby laypeople, who may not have any formal expertise, will be allowed key to the media group's future... (read full article)

New Walkley award for Freelance Journalists

The Walkley Award for Best Freelance Journalist of the Year is an initiative of the Walkley Foundation in partnership with the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance. The Award recognises the unique contribution that freelance journalists make across all media platforms to the future of the industry and is open to residents of either Australia or New Zealand... (read full article)

New app steers readers towards long form journalism

Longform is a new iPad app developed specifically to direct readers to longer, more in-depth news articles. Readers can subscribe to a number of US news sites through the app, which filters stories based on word count. More information can be found on the Longform website.

New News 2012 update

The New News is back for 2012, this time featuring a series of events over the course of the year aimed to promote conversations around new innovations and developments in the media.

Who's afraid of Gina Rinehart?

This event kicks off a New News series of events for 2012. Discussion will be held at Readings in Carlton from 6.30pm on Wednesday 14th March. Speakers include Foundation board member Margaret Simons, along with Tim Wilson and Stephen Mayne.