doyoulikewhatiwrite

Eye-catchers 19/06/2013

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:00:33 +0100

Yesterday’s “eye-catchers” was meant to be a one-off but some people on Twitter seemed to get something out of it. So, for those good people (hi Michela), I’ll try and do this a bit more often.

Here are the articles that caught the eye today.

Using social analytics to guide newsroom editorial strategy

Lengthy but good round-up of some of the better analytics tools out there, and words from the newsroom people who use them.

http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/how-newsrooms-can-use-social-analytics-to-guide-editorial-strategy/s2/a553295/

Tumblr’s media director quits

First the shut-down of Tumblr’s editorial team and now a departing media director. This latest move raises some questions about the direction of the platform post-Yahoo

http://valleywag.gawker.com/tumblrs-media-director-quits-514036706

A moving eulogy to Michael Hastings by Buzzfeed Editor Ben Smith

Michael Hastings, one of Ben Smith’s journalists, was tragically killed in a car crash. This is a moving tribute to Michael and the role and responsibilities of a great journalist.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/missing-michael-hastings

Michael Hastings advice to young journalists

Off the back of Hastings’ tragic death, Mother Jones have rounded-up Hastings’ advice to young journalists.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/06/rip-journalist-michael-hastings-heres-his-advice-young-journalists

A handy guide to Google’s Project Loon

It’s a maverick but damn it, it gets results…(sorry). In all seriousness, here’s everything you could want to know about Google’s loony (again, sorry) Balloon internet project.

http://readwrite.com/2013/06/19/a-handy-guide-to-google-project-loon

The Onion rip a hole in Buzzfeed galleries

Like that scene in Donnie Darko, life is not just fear and happiness

http://www.theonion.com/articles/8-people-having-a-way-better-day-than-you-although,32872/#1

Eye-catchers

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:51:10 +0100

Some articles and video that caught my attention today.

Russell Brand intelligently mocks media on US media

How to get more followers on Twitter:

Not normally a fan of these but this is refreshingly straight forward and So-Ho cowboy nonsense free.

http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/new2twitter-part-five_b45011

Is Instagram and video the answer to Facebook and video?

An open ended question and (sort of) answer to what could be a behemoth of a move by Stuart Dredge.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/appsblog

Digg’s RSS reader gets an official release date…

…and it arrives just before the shutdown of google reader. Power users, rejoice.

http://blog.digg.com/post/53203926175/digg-reader-update

More news outlets announce native ads

The buzzfeedification of the world continues

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/pretty-much-everyone-doing-native-ads-now-150290

Why Vine will be huge (for news)

I’m a fan of Vine and this is a brilliant example of its potential role in news coverage.

http://pandodaily.com/2013/06/17/this-video-shows-why-vine-is-going-to-be-a-huge-deal/

Kanye’s impatient pastry demands have gone viral

Bring me my flakey butter goodness now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/17/kanye-west-croissants_n_3453637.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ir=Entertainment

Finally, I’m still trying to figure out how they made this incredible Vine.

https://vine.co/v/blrW6wMzEpa

‘Open Eye Signal’ by Jon HopkinsOne of my favourite musical...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:27:44 +0100

‘Open Eye Signal’ by Jon Hopkins
One of my favourite musical surprises of the year.

Classical music... according to Google autocomplete

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:14:00 +0100

Classical music... according to Google autocomplete:

Let’s test out my new tumblr theme with a link to a very smart stab at Buzzfeed style content by Classic FM. There’s an argument to be made here in favour of a more focused approach to viral type internet content.

Kill off the social media editor at your own peril.

Fri, 31 May 2013 16:05:48 +0100

Kill off the social media editor at your own peril.:

DeRosa weighs in on that Buzzfeed piece and all I’ll add is here, here.

soupsoup:

The job of the social media editor is now more important than ever and it’s a role that demands even more accountability, skill and ability to communicate well with the wider newsroom. They need resources, they need a team of people who also focuses their efforts on informing their newsroom about what they’re seeing on social and training them on how to do it themselves. They need people who are constantly testing out new tools to figure out which ones will help them separate the noise on social from the valuable newsworthy first-hand reports in the form of updates, photos and videos that can either be used on background or integrated directly into stories. If you think all newsrooms are already doing this without the assistance of social media editors you’re kidding yourself and you don’t actually know what the role of a social media editor is.

Why I'm leaving Reuters to join Circa

Wed, 29 May 2013 09:18:53 +0100

Why I'm leaving Reuters to join Circa:

soupsoup:

…and what I plan to do when I get there.

I’m sad that I won’t get to see my great friends at Reuters everyday but I’m really excited to embark on this new journey.

Rosa’s one of the best Social Editors out there at the moment. Certainly someone to watch no matter where he goes.

Classical Music meets the Maiden! \m/

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:24:27 +0100

Classical Music meets the Maiden! \m/

Exclamation: Tumblr. + Yahoo! = !!

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:23:23 +0100

Exclamation: Tumblr. + Yahoo! = !!:

yahoo:

I’m delighted to announce that we’ve reached an agreement to acquire Tumblr!

We promise not to screw it up. Tumblr is incredibly special and has a great thing going. We will operate Tumblr independently. David Karp will remain CEO. The product roadmap, their team, their wit and…

This is big.

A record to love

Sat, 04 May 2013 11:22:48 +0100

wandrlust: Japanese Poster for Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979)

Thu, 02 May 2013 23:57:18 +0100

wandrlust:

Japanese Poster for Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979)

nprfreshair: Was there ever a more charming letter writer than...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:13:00 +0100

nprfreshair:

Was there ever a more charming letter writer than Vonnegut?

slatevault:

In which Kurt Vonnegut modestly offers his talents to the JFK campaign. Our favorite line? “On occasion, I write pretty well.” http://slate.me/11QNcwA

“On occasion, I write pretty well.” The brilliance of Vonnegut is how he can snap you awake and introduce you to his general world view with just a few simple but well placed words.

The closest I ever came to this in my writing was when I filled in “mildly vain” on a coffee shop job application form that asked me what I thought my weaknesses were.

Le Indie Tech

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:04:22 +0100

Either Phoenix are incredibly contrarian or I may have discovered Tech Company Indie, either way, it’s in this review I did for the Quietus last week.

poynterinstitute: npr: Stunning Video: 3 Years Of The Sun In 3...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:38:23 +0100

poynterinstitute:

npr:

Stunning Video: 3 Years Of The Sun In 3 Minutes : The Two-Way

Here it is, your moment(s) of zen.

Nice (Also testing out the new iOS tumblr app which ups the social feel of the platform)

livelymorgue: Nov. 5, 1922: Lulu McGrath is greeted by a diver...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:14:29 +0100

livelymorgue:

Nov. 5, 1922: Lulu McGrath is greeted by a diver in “Wonders of the Sea,” filmed off the Bahamas during the early days of underwater motion pictures. A report the following spring on a project by J.E. Williamson, the film’s director, related the perils of camera work at the time: “Not so very long ago, an intrepid photographer, when attempting to get a picture from an airplane of the crater of Vesuvius, just saved himself from falling into the seething, angry lava. This same cameraman, who is employed by Fox News, had another narrow escape from death in an airplane a few weeks ago. But he is inoculated with the spirit of adventure and keeps going.” Photo: The New York Times

Since Thatcher passed away this week, it only feels right to...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:16:23 +0100

Since Thatcher passed away this week, it only feels right to share Adam Curtis’ Century of the Self again. Whatever your views on Thatcher, this offers a unique take on developments in the 20th century that impacted on her and, in turn, the rest of us.

Hopefully this poster means Mad Men series 6 will find Don...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:51:08 +0000

Hopefully this poster means Mad Men series 6 will find Don battling an alternate universe version of himself.

parislemon:

popculturebrain:

Poster: Mad Men Season 6 | AMC

Oh yes.

Drowned in Soundcloud: Music Fans: A minute of your time, please

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:35:33 +0000

Drowned in Soundcloud: Music Fans: A minute of your time, please:

seaninsound:

The very least you can do is reblog this.

One of DiS’ favourite bands needs your support.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of the band School of Seven Bells (or Benjamin Curtis’ previous band Secret Machines) or not. A human being who makes music and has huge medical bills needs our help. So please take a second to read this, and if you can spare the price of a pint or more, it would be a big help. If you don’t have any money, the least you can do is spread the word:

Here’s a message from Alejandra Deheza of SVIIB:

2 / 8 / 13 — Dear Friends,It feels so surreal to be writing this to you. In fact I still can’t wrap my head or my heart around it, but here it goes. A few nights ago Benjamin was admitted to the hospital for symptoms that have been getting worse for a few weeks now. After a dozen tests and scans (which he’s endured like a champion) , the doctors say it’s T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. It developed pretty aggressively, and the chemotherapy to treat it will be pretty aggressive, but the good news is that it’s TREATABLE. These next few months will be tough, but he is the toughest person I know (even while here, he was trying to figure out a way to sample the MRI). I wanted to share this with you all, because you guys are such a huge and important part of our lives. Send all of the light and love that you can his way. Every bit will count towards a strong and fast recovery. I believe that with all of my heart. I will be doing the same. Love, Alley.

Go here to donate: http://supportbenjamincurtis.com

P.S. Not meaning to guilt-trip anyone, but I especially urge those of you who have ever streamed their music (for which artists receive very-very little) to at least stump up what you would have paid for a CD.

Outside of his general excellence, this is worth reading just...

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:05:12 +0000

Outside of his general excellence, this is worth reading just for his take on ‘content’ and the ongoing digital commoditization of life

guardian:

Thom Yorke has taken time out from Radiohead for a new album made with a few famous friends. In a loose, upbeat mood, he discusses music and the internet, making Michael Stipe dance … and surfing

Photograph: Phil Fisk for the Observer

Shake it like yo mamma

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:01:47 +0000

Shake it like yo mamma :

The always readable Sasha Frere Jones on the Harlem Shake.

"A line of code can’t fix the fact that none of my 150 friends in New York City have liked a single..."

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 16:19:44 +0000

“A line of code can’t fix the fact that none of my 150 friends in New York City have liked a single sushi restaurant on Facebook.”

- Ellis Hamburger on Graph Search: You’re not gonna Like it: Facebook’s new search struggles with the real world (via thisistheverge)
I think graph search has potential to do some great things but this piece certainly highlights an issue about the nature of user behaviour on Facebook