Author Archives: Russell Merryman

BBC v Local Papers – Oh no, not again…

Sometimes it’s difficult to underestimate the sheer nerve of people – where I come from in Yorkshire it’s known as having a brass neck. The latest award for sheer brass neck must go to the local newspaper publishers who’ve reacted … Continue reading

Posted in Broadcasting, Journalism | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who is winning the social media war over Gaza?

We’ve seen a lot of conjecture in the press recently about who is winning the social media war over the current conflict in Gaza, while some commentators such as Con Coughlin in The Daily Telegraph, Paul Mason of Channel Four News and Colin Daileda on Mashable are … Continue reading

Posted in Journalism, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s a chill wind… even in Egypt

The decision by a court in Egypt to jail three Al Jazeera journalists for allegedly supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and false reporting has provoked outrage from around the world, with thousands of journalists holding a vigil this morning to mark the … Continue reading

Posted in Broadcasting, Ethics & Law, Journalism | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A funny thing happened on the way to the Referendum…

So, the Scottish referendum debate and the release of the SNP’s white paper on why an independent Scotland would be a good idea dominated the broadcast news bulletins morning, noon and night yesterday; the 648-page snooze-fest was pounced on and … Continue reading

Posted in Broadcasting, Journalism | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

May defends ‘local’ papers

Another Tory MP fired a shot across the BBC’s bows at the Society of Editors conference this week, claiming that the corporation’s online activities are undermining local newspapers. Theresa May said that the BBC’s claims that they were opening up … Continue reading

Posted in Journalism | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A modern day Tom Paine?

As our first year students have been getting to grip with the intricacies of Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine and their various interpretations of power and the people after the French Revolution, the last week has seen modern day versions … Continue reading

Posted in Journalism | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking back to look ahead

Interesting project underway in the US where the questions of how we came to be where we are in journalism are now being examined with the benefit of hindsight. According to CNN, a trio of leading digerati are publishing an … Continue reading

Posted in Future media, Journalism | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bucking the trend

As newspapers across America struggle for readership, advertisers and income, one title is, according to its owners, thriving. The Orange County Register (OCR) in California has fought back against the decline in American journalism by… wait for it… hiring more journalists, … Continue reading

Posted in Journalism | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Snow Fall fall-out

I make no apologies for my admiration of Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek, a detailed interactive, multimedia documentary put together by The New York Times; others agree and it has won a Webby award and a Pulitzer prize. Every … Continue reading

Posted in Future media, Journalism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BBC betas interactive video

The BBC has posted what it calls a beta in interactive video which explores the fall-out from the Deepwater-Horizon oil distaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The video has hotspots and triggers throughout which you can click on … Continue reading

Posted in Multimedia | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment