• Catalina Albeanu, international editor, Journalism.co.uk;

The world is awash with claims of fake news. Digital technologies have radically changed the way news is created and consumed. Social media allows misinformation to spread at lightning speed. Journalism is facing a crisis of trust in an era when reliable, impartial news is more important than ever. How should news providers respond?

In the keynote speech at newsrewired on 11 July, Reuters EMEA chief, Simon Robinson, will explain how the world’s largest international multimedia news provider is addressing these issues by focusing on robust reporting, maintaining independence, increasing transparency and, when they occur, correcting mistakes quickly. The media landscape may have changed dramatically, but the best modern journalism, he will argue, is rooted in old-fashioned reporting values.

Robinson is regional editor for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Reuters. He directs newsgathering and reporting in the region, and oversees budget, strategy, hiring, legal and security issues. Robinson joined the news service in 2010 and ran investigations and enterprise reporting in EMEA for six years, editing award-winning series on Iran, Russia, corporate taxation, Greek banks and migration.

This panel will assess the benefits and challenges of slow journalism, where stories and formats aren’t tied to the daily news cycle. From investigative reporting to single-subject news sites, we’ll discuss the best ways to build and grow an audience away from the lure of breaking news and how to handle a “breaking news story” when your beat has been covering it for months or years.

Our expert speakers will talk about how slow journalism can make an impact in the age of information overload, what topics lend themselves well to this approach and the opportunities it offers journalists and audiences. They will address the challenges of pursuing stories when media and public attention has died down and how to work to a different, non-daily timeline.

With:

• • • • Megan Clement, managing editor, Women’s Advancement Deeply;
      • Emily Dugan, senior reporter, BuzzFeed News;
      • Paul Rowland, editor, WalesOnline, and editor-in-chief, Media Wales;
      • Mun-Keat Looi, commissioning editor, Mosaic;
      • Laura Oliver, freelance writer and editor;

Making an impact in media no longer means talking about print versus digital or desktop versus mobile. Understanding how people behave is the new way of thinking about media in the digital world. In this talk, Albertine Piels, director of Hackastory, explains why your audience’s needs and your goals have to align for your organisation to thrive in this digital era.

In 2016, Albertine quit her job as an editor-in-chief at the Dutch national news station RTLZ so she can fully focus on Hackastory. Albertine has 15 years of experience in journalism, always with a strong focus on online media.

Nic Newman is research associate at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and lead author of the Digital News Report, based on the world’s largest ongoing survey on news consumption. In a spotlight talk at newsrewired, Nic will reveal details of the latest Reuters Institute research on podcast usage in 22 countries.

Nic was a founding member of the BBC News Website, leading international coverage as World Editor (1997-2001). As head of product development for BBC News he helped introduce innovations such as blogs, podcasting and on-demand video.

Suchandrika Chakrabarti is a freelance journalist, producer and trainer. She’s just left Trinity Mirror, where she made the Black Mirror Cracked podcast, which achieved 150,000 listens during its 5-month run. She’s a guest lecturer for PA Training and Goldsmith’s, and has written across a variety of topics such as the arts, politics and technology.

In a spotlight talk at newsrewired, she will share some insights into the success of Black Mirror Cracked, and outline some key considerations before starting a podcast: thinking audience-first when pitching the idea, choosing between news or evergreen content, and having a complete package in mind.

Louis Dumoulin, head of UK office at CosaVostra, will share his experience with applications for Google’s Digital News Initiative fund (DNI), as well as his team’s expertise of crowdfunding campaigns for news organisations, and the EU Media programme.

He will be joined on the panel by:

• Daniel Daum, digital transformation consultant and former managing director of Prisma;
• Matthieu Beauval, deputy director, head of innovation at Radio France Digital;
• Marcela Kunova, senior reporter, Journalism.co.uk, moderating.

Constructive journalism

One of the key sessions of the day will be a discussion around constructive journalism, the newsgathering and storytelling practice that looks at solutions to problems, presenting stories of resourcefulness, action or community spirit alongside in-depth analysis of the issues at hand.

Research has shown that the traditional news diet can leave people feeling anxious as negative stories flood TVs or social media feeds, and that people who interact with constructive journalism are more likely to feel empowered, spend more time on the article page, or share the stories on social media.

With:

• • • Jodie Jackson, author and researcher;
    • Mark Rice-Oxley, head of special projects, the Guardian;
    • Julia Migné, co-founder, INKLINE.
    • Tom Colls, senior journalist, World Hacks, BBC World Service.

Session details to be announced soon.

Building communities on social media

“If you build it, they will come” does not apply to successful social media communities. You need a plan of action for finding, engaging and managing your community which starts with choosing the right platform.

This session will offer practical advice for establishing thriving communities in social spaces, from hosting constructive conversations to assigning proper resources, and how to avoid just talking at your audience.

As people’s attitudes to social platforms and online privacy evolve, we’ll also discuss the rise of invite-only spaces, what this means for journalists looking to engage in these private, social communities and how it might affect the public’s relationship with the media.

• • Mark Frankel, social media editor, BBC News;
  • Ria Jones, digital and social media picture editor, The Economist.

More speakers to be announced soon.

Mobile journalism apps bootcamp

Marc Settle works for the BBC Academy, where his main role for the last five years is as a trainer in smartphone journalism. He has shown thousands of staff at the BBC how to get the best out of their devices – mostly iPhones – whether it’s for broadcast news, social media or livestreaming.

Marc is back at newsrewired to host a mobile reporting workshop, shedding some light on the complex world of free and paid-for apps that can help journalists make the most of their mobile phone for newsgathering and storytelling.

The state – and future – of US local newspapers

The past decade has had a dramatic effect on the local newspaper landscape. But, despite ongoing challenges, there are reasons for optimism about the future.

In this session, Damian Radcliffe will draw on transferable lessons from his research produced for the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University and the Agora Journalism Center in Portland.

Learn about emerging strategies and success stories on digital platforms that are changing journalistic practices – and driving revenue. These are real-life examples drawn interviews with 53 practitioners and industry experts and a unique survey of over 400 local journalists in the U.S.

Damian Radcliffe is the Carolyn S. Chambers Professor in Journalism at the University of Oregon, a Fellow of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, an Honorary Research Fellow at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture Studies and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). His work focuses on digital trends, social media, technology, the business of media and the evolution of journalism.

This panel will take an in-depth look at how to put together a successful newsletter strategy, and how to get ahead in the battle for attention in your readers’ inboxes. With:

• • • Lianna Brinded, Europe news editor, Quartz;
    • Dan Silver, head of digital publishing, The Telegraph;
    • Renée Kaplan, head of audience engagement, Financial Times, 

More speakers to be announced soon.