Al Jazeera: discovering new ideas in online media

Breaking news and audience engagement were two key elements of the Thomson Foundation's writing for online course for Al Jazeera, says trainer Tony Goodson, former head of Sky Sports Online.

The rapid changes taking place in Qatar provided the perfect backdrop for digital journalists taking part in the course.

The eight journalists in the group came with innumerable questions of how to satisfy the demands of culture, technology and expectation in the tiny country whose economy is as spectacular as the stunning city centre architecture.

Breaking news The group, seven men and one woman, came from varied backgrounds; one special correspondent, a medical editor, a mobile content editor, three writers and two technicians.

They were eager to learn how major news organisations in the West handle breaking news in the digital environment.

They wanted to know what was the attitude to new technology, how do digital journalists use their relationship with the TV "big brother" to the best advantage and, importantly, how can they engage more effectively with their audience.

The journalists were from Al Jazeera Arabic, sister website to the more familiar English vision of the broadcaster, and they were keen to explain how their own roles were shaped by the demands of the region and resources.

Use of language The discussion centred on the use of language, how best to convey the tremendous changes in the Middle East and what was the best way to reflect the richness of the area.

The groups ability to adapt the ideas presented to them to their own digital environment was impressive. The way they embraced change and different approaches was also encouraging.

And the course was not without its lighter moments. Rivalry in the quiz, "The 20 things every major story needs on a website" was particularly lively. Any country that can build an ice rink or a Venice canal in its fabulous shopping malls must have a sense of humour!

But the course came down to a few main points:

Know your audience and dont be afraid to engage them openly.

Simple techniques can increase traffic - picture galleries, forums, Twitter and Facebook engagement

There is still plenty of flexibility within quite strict editorial guidelines

Be economical with words - they are precious.

The more links, the more clicks, the more traffic

LINK:	http://www.thomsonfoundation.org/news-and-features/2013/06/18/al-jazee...
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