Journalism Skills for a Digital-Centric Newsroom and  Leveraging Social Media  

175+ Years of Media in Assam and Beyond

Angarika Gogoi

We live in a day and age where the transfer of ideas and knowledge transpires at a meteoric pace.

With several news apps downloaded on our phones, we are stridently notified with a shrill ‘Ping!’–enough to jolt us into leaving a task at hand and instantaneously check our phones. We do this through the course of the day like clock-work. 

Now, it is not just these news apps that urgently demand our attention. Information is transferred to us through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. It does not end there.

Messaging apps like WhatsApp are also becoming a medium were disseminating of information is taking place–and this has proven dangerous to the extent where innocent lives were lost.

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A simple Google search provides access to news stories, all talking about how mob violence fuelled by information circulated on these platforms has led to lynchings.

The sequence of events and the details are so identical that it is difficult to keep count or distinguish one report from another. One common denominator here, however, is the role fake news and misinformation play in giving rise to such violence.

As a journalist, I increasingly feel the responsibility remain informed while ensuring that the news I consume is verified. Now, navigating this space is even more difficult as the volume of information is ever-increasing.

Professionally, working as a reporter also meant that each word I write should be hundred percent authentic and verified. 

In the limited time I have worked in the media industry, I have picked up a few points that have me navigate the nebulous sea of information with reasonable clarity. Here, I want to share a few pointers on how a journalist in today’s newsroom can find an underreported story, build networks, use social media and thoroughly fact-check everything.

Finding what is news

Working in newsrooms today means one must be nimble on their feet as the news cycle changes swiftly. But now, we also have tools that help us keep informed about what’s happening nationally and globally.

Facebook and Twitter are useful tools to access news that is trending. As a reporter, we must scrutinize information at hand from a new angle, different from what has already been reported. One thing that aids this process is reading everything on the subject. 

Read what all the other publications have reported, what they missed out on, what they mentioned but failed to expand on. These are questions that one needs to ask. 

Sometimes a well-researched story with a good base as groundwork by the reporter is perhaps more valuable than breaking the news first. Take slightly longer if need be but speak to people who may seem integral to the story and make your observations. Doing this will not only bring something new to the table, but the reporter might also be able to debunk misinformation that was perhaps, peddled as ‘fact.’

Ensure that the time you have invested reporting the story from the ground reflects in the form of valuable perspectives or voices that are novel. 

Be it broadcast, print, or a digital newsroom, no good newsroom can ever do away with good groundwork. In journalism, this exercise is known as ‘shoe leather’ and is indispensable. 

Build a credible network with grassroots reporters

There are situations where being present on the ground may be difficult geographically or logistically. However, it essential that you push out the news. So, what do you do?

In such a situation, the first step would be to research online or speak to fellow reporters if they know a stringer or a reporter from the area. When you are looking online, look for news reports from the region and check who has reported the story. 

The information from the ground is crucial in adding value to the story that a reporter from a desk could be writing. Also, it helps in cross-checking bits of details. Often well-established reporters get greedy for a solo byline but, one needs to be objective. If a stringer or local reporter has added considerable value to the news report, it is essential to give credit and ensure they are remunerated fairly for their contribution. 

It would be even better if you are a reporter from the desk. You could help these local reporters get published, share what you have learned on the job, and help them improve if there is scope. It helps in creating a valuable network built on trust. And there will be times when these reporters will get in touch with you with an interesting story brewing in the grassroots without you having to seek them out.

Rely on useful data and experts

A good news report contains a ground report but, it must also carry data and comments from experts. 

Law and policy think-tanks, advocacy groups, and non-governmental organisations routinely come out with yearly or monthly reports. These are significant assets for journalists because they publish findings from the ground, supported by data in their research reports. You can use this information to validate your news story.

Equally relevant in this context are individual researchers who have their papers published in acclaimed journals. These experts provide you with their data sets and also share their observations. A reporter can add these details to the story in the form of quotes.

Sometimes these experts help expose misconceptions and hollowness in our understanding with their fresh perspectives. It ensures a nuanced story free from any falsity.

Verify everything on social media

It is undeniable that social media platforms like Twitter are helpful for journalists in identifying stories. But, it is essential to tread with caution. A study conducted by three MIT scholars in 2018 found that on Twitter, fake news spreads six times faster than authentic news. The root cause they found is people retweeting these inaccurate pieces of information and not because of bots. 

Here, a way to verify if a piece of news is accurate or not is to read updates from news organisations that are known to break verified stories, free from any form of ideological influence. The other way would be to tap into the network of stringers mentioned above. 

A talk about fake news and misinformation cannot be complete without mentioning the role platforms like WhatsApp play in propagating it. I have personally lost count of the number of times I have received a barrage of long, poorly written, and often forwarded messages on WhatsApp. An overwhelming volume of these elaborate forwards, more often than not, turn out to be fake.

Additionally, whenever you come across tweets, Facebook posts, and WhatsApp messages that are communal, keep in mind the communal or political affiliations of the person or organisation that shares it. It is also paramount that we check our own biases if we may have any and not allow those to reflect in the news report.

[Angarika Gogoi’s article is published in the historical book 175 Years of Media in Assam and Beyond published by Mahabahu on the occasion of 175 Years of Media in Assam]

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