Here are a few recently published articles worth taking a look at over the weekend:
Wall Street Journal: BlackBerry Orphans
The Wall Street Journal reported today, “There is a new member of the family, and, like all new siblings, this one is getting a disproportionate amount of attention, resulting in jealousy, tantrums, even trips to the therapist. It's the BlackBerry.” The Journal talked to children and teens about how they feel about their parents’ relationship to the device.
NewAssignment.net: Investigative Journalism Revisited
Executive Director Brant Houston of Investigative Reporters and Editors spoke to NewAssignment.net’s John McQuaid about the state of investigative journalism and how the Internet is changing the way investigative journalism is presented. “I’m pushing journalists to read books about writing screenplays. In a screenplay, you get some dialogue and you’ve got to think about what you’re seeing at that point. The web gives you that ability,” Houston said.
BusinessWeek: Web Users Interested in Longer Videos Online
“For all the talk of Internet video killing television, broadcast executives haven't seen much reason to fear,” BusinessWeek reports. But that could change as soon as Web sites figure out how to draw visitors for longer-form video features. (In fact, some Web sites are already working on it.)
Governing Magazine: Newspapers Are Losing their Watchdog Role
A Governing Magazine feature article this week, headlined "Blackout: Big City Newspapers Aren't Telling Citizens the Things They Need to Know," stated financial constraints at larger-market newspapers are affecting newspapers' ability to be government watchdogs. Writer Rob Gurwitt wrote, "Even as the cutbacks are raising alarm, two developments raise at least the hope that vigorous journalism focused on local affairs may be able to mount a comeback in places where it is threatened or has already eroded." One of those developments is the growing number of independent news Web sites.
Ifra: Explaining Web 2.0
Ifa’s Newspaper Techniques broke down Web 2.0 into easy-to-understand language for people who aren’t especially technology oriented. The mini-book had a guide to what’s important about Web 2.0 and a glossary.