01
MUMBAI: Real time reporting is the future of journalism. It is convergence of print and web where in journalists working in print use the latest web technology to feed news to portal and print set-up as it happens in real time. It means that reporter files the story from the field as it happens where it happens.
This has been happening for in case of telecast with OB VANS and the Breaking stories but the print industry had remained neutral to these developments. Convergence is changing the format of news, making it more flexible for reader - print, web, radio all in one. The demand for news content in terms of time and coverage is going to push media to increase its bouquet of content. Real-time reporting model is a step in that direction.
Dainik Bhaskar has taken the initiative to address, fill this gap taking advantage that comes with such an action. This is a proactive step from the group as currently DAINIK BHASKAR is in a position of dominance across its markets and does not face real time challenge from TV or internet for the functional deliverable towards readers or advertisers.
Technology convergence is changing the format and need for information. Even in the net, metro news coverage is far extensive compared to other areas in the rest of the country. Dainik Bhaskar believes this is a draw back and an opportunity and that reader need for such localized content is remaining unanswered.
In addition the early flow of news benefits the newspaper too, as events are covered in much more detail. Internet readers also get the benefit of news as it happens.This model will revolutionize the journalism and its impact on advertising and other industries would be mindboggling.
As on date, under this initiative, around 220 top reporters have been professionally trained to become the first line of Multimedia reporters. Equipped with the latest model of laptops, high speed wireless connections and cameras they file directly from the field uploading the news on web and print as it breaks. The news is uplinked from the laptop through proprietary matrix technology and the Bhaskar.com readers continuously get the latest reliable version of the news stories. While most of newspapers continue to take net as a static impression of their print, at Dainik Bhaskar we are merging its reporting output for print and internet. It also enables us to differentiate our newspaper content substantially.
The first phase of real time reporting covers 13 major cities of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab . These include Bhopal, Indore, Raipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Varodara, Chandigarh, Ludhiana etc. The training of next set of journalist is on as we speak and soon the width and depth of this team of Multimedia journalist will be enhanced.
The time involved in accessing, evaluating latest news will reduce allowing additional time for analysis and further probes. This will also enhance width and depth of local news coverage significantly. In effect the user interested in his surrounding will be updated on the relevant and array of news emanating from their city and vicinity, that too in real-time.
Yatish Rajwats; Group editor Dainik Bhaskar group says ‘The biggest investment in this initiative is in changing the mindset and training journalists for this. Besides this there has been a substantial investment made in the technology infrastructure both hardware and software. The truth is that post initial hick-ups are enjoying the new breed of hyper journalism‘ He adds, ‘in journalism news is like burning coal on hand. Once this simple philosophy is ingrained, each individual starts appreciating the change that made them more efficient with output and their off-the-workplace time improving significantly‘
