VISUAL JOURNALISM

What is Visual Journalism?

Visual Journalism is basically the combination of words and images to convey information.

Visual Journalism has its roots dated back to ancient cave paintings. Visual Journalism is not a series of symbols with meaning, but rather images suggesting complex meanings.

As quoted by Head Of Communications at Canva, Zach Kitscheke,

he defines visual journalism as " The act of making your point through images and is one of the most important skills that you as a journalist can take into account."

He refers its importance towards social media such as Blogs, Facebook,Twitter etc, which is basically the use of images and words to convey messages.

              

An estimation of over 1.8 billion people are known to have active social media accounts, which makes visual journalism at the top of the charts as being most effective way of disseminating journalistic findings to media users. Many are the times it has been proven that words and pictures stick or are more re collective to the human mind especially if that particular set of words and imagery is or seems interesting. Visual Journalism is more of a journalists voice with use of images and words, which makes journalistic creativity have a conversion on paper. visual journalism not only explores the journalists creativity, but also explores the audiences retention to that particular set of imagery and words creating a network of brainstorming thought.

Print media is also a form of visual journalistic creativity as it incorporates words with pictures to inform, educate and entertain.

       

#TECH_OVER

                           3D AND JOURNALISM

3D is basically the quality of being three dimensional. Three dimensional shapes are those shapes which are the outcome of a flat object being defined or adding life to flatness of an object. In 3D, we important terms which are 3D rendering and Texture.

What is 3D rendering?

This the process of converting a 3D model into a 2D image with 3D photo realistic rendering on a computer.

What is Texture?

Texture is the feel, appearance or consistency of a surface or substance.Texture as directed to 3D graphics is the representation of surface of an object.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 3D OBJECT AND A 2D OBJECT?

In a computer work space, the difference between 3D and 2D is that, 2D is "Flat" and uses the horizontal and vertical (X and Y) dimensions and the image only has two dimensions and if  turned to the side becomes a line. When depth (Z) is added to the image, it becomes a 3D object, thus the difference.

2D is more of a sketch of what has to be made and when life is given to that particular sketch, it becomes a 3D model.

                 

3D SHAPE                                                                   2D SHAPE

 HOW IS 3D ENABLING CHANGE IN JOURNALISM

With time comes evolution. 3D has helped add a more realistic approach to journalism with various innovations like 3D printing.

What is 3D Printing?

3D Printing refers to various processes of synthesizing a 3 dimensional object.It may also be referred to as Additive Manufacturing (AM)

In the process of 3D printing, successive layers of material are formed under the computer to create an object. These objects come in any form, shape or geometry and are produced from a 3D model or other electronic data source. A 3D printer is a type of industrial robot.

  

3D journalism is not only confined to 3D printing, but also has other various forms for example Gone Gitmo

What is "Gone Gitmo?"

It is a project by former journalist named De Le Penas. The project was  used to depict evidence about detention centers  and experiences inmates there to create a life like representation of what being imprisoned would be like and included audio clips that recreated certain sounds and diary entries.

Another 3D project is that of Oculus Rift: An invention by Palmer Luckey

With Oculus Rift, participants in a news story are allowed privilege to experience news as portrayed in for example the war in Afghanistan. The participant has an inside look, which makes it more interesting

. THE OCULUS RIFT

The innovations are creating a positive impact on journalism in that the audience feel more included and also experience journalism like never before. So many innovations are still coming up, which making a positive change to journalism, but bearing in mind that the old way of journalism should not fade or be forgotten as "Old is Gold."

#TECH_OVER

                                          VIDEO WALL

What is a Video Wall?

" A video wall is a special multi-monitor setup that consists of multiple computer monitors, video projectors, or television sets tiled together contiguously or overlapped in order to form one large screen."

           

VIDEO WALLS AND AREAS OF EXPERIMENT:

 The Video wall concept has and is being experimented upon in many sphere such as;

-Airports as a means to display flight timings for arrival and departure

-In organisations to act as a means to create impact towards not only its visitors, but also its employees.

- As a means of security, It helps in capturing security footage such as security breaches and help raise awareness thus acting as a help to make everyone aware of what is happening and how to react towards those situations

- In stadiums: People are able to view highlights during a game and are able to see on whether for example a penalty which might have been given was fair and gives great view or coverage for fans who may be seated at distances in the stadium.

VIDEO WALLS AND ADVERTISING:

In today's era, advertising plays an important role towards the mass at large be it consciously or unconsciously. Video wall has created a plat form for effective advertising as it displays its information on large platforms creating a favorable means for recollection of messages because the audience find an attraction towards whats appeals them with use of audio and visual thus video wall has brought about:

-Effective Communication In Advertising: Organisations have found video wall effective in that when placed in reception areas, conference rooms and or public spaces, it portrays real-time data from any data source creating an engagement of the minds of the audience towards the messages being portrayed , as it is integrated with help of digital signage software.

-It has also become a way of effective advertisements in that people will mostly retain what they see, provided the platform is big enough, thus as video wall displays its information and data on a large platform, the mass are able to recall what has been advertised bringing upon an action towards the advertisements by the mass, most likely.

-Video wall creates some sort of virtual interaction between the advertiser and the consumer. This happens due to the fact that each individual may feel as though the advertisement was meant for him or her virtually.

    

VIDEO WALL AND NEWS ROOM STRUCTURE:

-Video wall in news room structures are used to display or make emphasis towards certain news stories on large enough screens for the mass to be able to see what is being shown to them.

-Video walls are also used by the anchor as his or her means of reference to show for example what is going on in an area where a field journalist may be or a corresponding journalist, creating a clear environment for the news coming in and going out of the news room.

-Overall, the video wall is an excellent innovation which is making possible the impossible,making technology a great innovation in itself

#TECH_OVER

 

                   NEWS IN ZAMBIA

News is any information which is recent and intends to inform and educate the mass. But what is news in Zambia? News nowadays has gone out of hand. It seems anything and everything is news and is being disseminated towards the mass. It is true that each and every information is important to us as individuals, but some issues I am sorry to say do not even concern the mass. For example news on marital affairs, what does that have to do with the nation at large? Where has the important news gone? As Zambians we need to know on for example parliamentary proceedings like passing of bills, amendments made and so forth. We need to know on constitutional reservations and reason for them being passed. But nowadays, media seems to pay importance to mediocrity like for example allegations on witch craft, shop lifting and the like. These are important, but to what extent? Matters of speculation and matters of who can talk better than the other are considered more important, but for Christ sacks are not news. As a nation we need to know on for example what is to be done about the unfavourable fall in kwacha. We need to know what implementations to take so as to better our nation. We get exploited as a nation due to the fact that we overlook the important news which concerns all. We seem to want to point fingers to problems that we have as a nation, but never want to come up with solutions. Some Zambians do not even know about their human rights because such is never brought to light. Let’s demand for important news. Let’s pay importance to the real news which concerns Zambia as a whole.

#TECH_OVER

                                MEDIA NEEDS TO 'RETAIN' ITS BACKBONE

In today's era, when people are asked to put a definition as to what media is, it is disheartening  that majority of the time media is associated with corruption or puppetry for high authority like government,which should not be the case, because media is a pillar on its own, which years back was the epitome of social service towards the mass. In as much as not all media may be corrupt, it is inevitable to not get fingers pointed even towards media which still has its backbone firm towards what is right and wrong. Media is supposed to be a watch dog over the people, thus what happens if as a watch dog they prove disloyal? People will not relay their trust to them. Media must not be afraid of high authority, because if they dread putting up the truth for the peoples good just because of fear that authority are not in favor, who will be the peoples eyes? 'A watch dog must not get watched over' should be  each and every medias motto, because as media personnel, we watch over the people in ways which no other can do. Media must retain its rightful name, which is that of being a social server to the people. If we go by who we consider high authority, then what will be portrayed  towards the people. Media should not be like actors and go by a script with dialogue that the high authority want us to disseminate, because media is not acting, its reality. Its absurd to think that media needs a script. Media should not go in favor of who wants to make it a puppet all in the name of getting 'Fed' like what some media houses do. They portray a flawless news in favor of authority all in fear, but fearless is what media should be known for.

 It is better to starve with the truth, than be fully fed on lies.

Media should not always want whole bread which has been buttered, so as just to get privilege. It is better to be known for loyal crumbs than disloyal earned whole bread. It is better to have a backbone that is not famous, than to have fame for being a tail.

#IAM_A_PROUD_JOURNALIST

#TECH_OVER

 BIG DATA. CAN IT BE REFEREED TO AS AN INNOVATIVE FORM OF JOURNALISM?

What is Big Data? 

" Big Data is data which may be owned by a company, obtained and then processed through new techniques to produce value in the best way possible." The notion of Big Data was coined by Doug Laney in 2001.

The question comes on whether big data can be referred to as an innovative form of journalism?
Well yes.
How we may ask? As Big data is basically the combining of large data, then compiling that data into one valuable piece of information. This has two benefits to not only journalists, but also to other streams as it:
-can open new doors
-can be a way information is analysed to open those particular new doors

When those new doors are opened, it helps journalists obtain information in ways which when they disseminate it, will have so much value that the receiving end will be satisfied as long as they do it smartly. This satisfaction comes about due to the fact that when a journalist collected the large incomplete data, somewhere in that collected data was value which was collected from the receiving end itself. When information is collected from where it is to be distributed, it creates more impact due to the fact that the information is being arisen from the point of view the receptor. For example a journalist plans on writing an article on a particular place. The best way to get valuable information is from the source itself. the journalist before disseminating the information, will compile it largely from the source through different opinions, thereby doing a service for the server.

Another example of how handy big data is in formulating innovative journalism is when in the fall of 2012, America's Wall Street Journal ran an article describing how Netflix used big data to build out their streaming video service. They were able to analyse traffic details for various devices, spot problem areas and add network throughout to help prepare for future demand. Netflix was also able to get more insight into the type of content customers preferred, making them enable more accurate suggestions as to what subscribers might like. This initiative helps journalists prepare relevant information to display towards the audience, making occurrence of collection of irrelevance minimal.

Basically, big data is an innovative form of journalism due to the fact that journalistic creativity is put in place with big data. It means no data is large enough not to have some sort of value inside it without proper sorting. Sorting which is done on basis of the point of view of the receiving ends preference, helping more qualitative flow of information towards the mass audience.

NOTE: Big data is compiled with the help of a technology software called, Apache Hadoop, which is an open source software written in java for distributed storage meant for large data sets.

#TECH_OVER

  FUTURE  OF JOURNALISM IN THE CYBER SPACE ERA

  As most of us know, journalism involves dissemination of information, messages etc to a mass audience who are not aware of a particular news being conveyed. Cyber space on the other hand is the transaction of information between different computers.

JOURNALISM +CYBERSPACE ERA

The future of journalism in the cyberspace era is firstly that of being a platform for dissemination of information in form of news towards the audience. Cyberspace as a platform can be considered a channel for journalism to not only distribute, but is also source of information for journalists who may want to find out information before they officially disseminate it. Cyberspace is advantageous in that due to the fact that the world has become  a "Global Village," thus journalism has gained not only a platform, but also a foundation for its occurrence. a journalist today need not really have to send information gathered to a news room, but may also convey that information via cyberspace as it is a quick medium. cyberspace helps a journalist grasp information in less than a second thereby helping in rapid exchange, receiving and sending of information through a channel known as the internet. Cyberspace has also managed to help for example a travel journalist travel not literally, but at the comfort of his/her computer, thereby creating a world which a journalist need not to travel every time they seek information, but have it in there own comfort at a click of a button. Cyberspace has also created a platform for different journalists to brainstorm there work, thereby creating information packages which may create impact to the world positively.

Cyberspace has become and still is becoming a journalists solution to being heard. many situations are overlooked, but as we consider journalism a social service, this platform helps the service journalism is doing have a quicker pace, making the world aware of what goes on not only within there comfort vicinity, but on a global basis. With cyberspace in place, innovations such as blogs, social sites such as Facebook,Twitter etc have helped create impact for journalism because it has opened many doors for dissemination of media practices to occur, thereby helping not only dissemination of information, but journalism as a whole.

#TECH_OVER 

                                                           PARALLEL CINEMA
What is parallel cinema?
"This is a film movement in Indian cinema that originated in the state of West Bengal in India, in the 1950's as an alternative to mainstream commercial Indian Cinema, represented especially by popular Hindi cinema known as Bollywood."

How is it an innovative form of cinema?
It is an innovative form of cinema because of its portrayal of the real world happenings. Parallel cinema is helping  open the eyes of the world to its different realities and notions inflicted in the human minds by no one but themselves.

Parallel cinema as depicted in the movie 'Silent Water'

PLOT:
The plot of the movie silent water is based on the portrayal of how typical loyalty to religious notions can torment humans. It shows a woman who escapes death and converts from her beliefs, so as just to save herself. A land declared for one religion intends to convert the entire land, because of beliefs uprooted since its beginning.

Directors Point Of View:
The directors point of view is that of depicting how beliefs can be intolerant towards other beliefs, in the process creating partitions which are irrelevant in society as well as the world at large.

Characterisation Of The Movie:
The characterisation of the movie is realistic and well played. Each character plays their part as though they were meant for it and were the actual person there during the happening. They play their parts in an unexaggerated manner with actions suitable enough for the audience to be glued to the screen.

Overall, parallel cinema is a very good innovation and is helping portrayal of reality come to light in form of films, which is helping in shading light on the world as we may not have thought of it to be, or may have overlooked.

#TECH_OVER

                       VIMEO
It is a site founded by Jake Iodwick and Zach Klein in November, 2004.

What is Vimeo?
Vimeo Is a video sharing website in which a user is able to share and view videos. It is the first video sharing site to support high definition videos.

Some of you may not really know about vimeo due to the fact that you are used to the popular site YouTube. YouTube is a good site for video sharing, but one can never go wrong in exploring other sites as we are living in a technological world today.
Vimeo, though small as compared to other sites like YouTube, has many good qualities which video sharers or viewers may like. The first being the fact that all its videos are of very good and clear quality. Viewers may also opt for vimeo because it has a high concentration of creative content providers. Vimeo as it is small also makes it easy to locate content we require, because it is small. The secret to vimeos qualitative videos is due to the fact that the provider has checks on videos, disposing of junk videos which may not be of relevance. It also makes possible collaboration of serious subscribers, thus maintaining its sites quality.
Though vimeo may have all these benefits, a paid subscription is needed for an individual to upload more than 500 mb per week, which makes most people want to opt for YouTube which is free and doesn't separate videos as junk.
Now we know that we have other video sharing sites which can be explored. Let's explore technology for it keeps coming and changing.

#TECH_OVER

                             MOJO?
Yes mojo. And no its not related to mojo Jojo from the power puff girls. Enough with the humour.

What is Mojo? Mojo short form for Mobile Journalism is a form of new media which is emerging in today's time. Mobile journalism ( Mojo) is a way that freelancers or Mojo's (Mobile journalists) are using to collect information which is later disseminated to mass. Mojo as it states is use of mobile phones or any portable device like a cam corder , tablet etc to capture a current affair which may have not been come across by journalists or a way of capturing in the absence of journalistic equipment.

Mojo is not only for journalists, but can also be practiced by regular mobile users or amateurs who come across a situation which needs mass attention in the absence of journalists. Mojo is making possible plenty of information to be disseminated. Many are the times when a news story may have been overlooked due to absence of proper equipment or absence of a journalist. Mojo is incorporating the regular mobile users who may be present during a happening to capture, then later disseminate this information to either a news industry who may air it at large or on social Media which may also circulate it at large. So all you Mojo's or mojoteurs (Mobile amateurs) out there.
, let's take part in mojo so as to inform the world of what may be unknown, but need to be known.

#TECH_OVER