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The corrections column co-editor on ... the busy world of the live bloggers The corrections column co-editor on ... the busy world of the live bloggers
(4 months later)
Live blogs are popular with readers of our website, but very few complaints about them reach the readers' editor's office.Live blogs are popular with readers of our website, but very few complaints about them reach the readers' editor's office.
That is partly because readers are able to interact directly with the person writing the live blog as it runs over several hours, pointing out what they see as inaccuracies, but also because readers know that a live blog is never a finished, polished product and expect a few rough edges.That is partly because readers are able to interact directly with the person writing the live blog as it runs over several hours, pointing out what they see as inaccuracies, but also because readers know that a live blog is never a finished, polished product and expect a few rough edges.
A live blog provides rolling coverage of a story in nugget-sized posts which go up in real time as information is received. The Guardian first used the live blog format to provide minute-by-minute commentaries of cricket and football matches. A daily blog was started for the 2010 general election. Now we run three regular news blogs every day – politics, business and Middle East – and at least one other. We recently ran live blogs on Oscar Pistorius's court appearances; when Drummer Lee Rigby was killed in Woolwich; and last week on reaction to the leak of details about the National Security Agency's collection of telephone and internet data.A live blog provides rolling coverage of a story in nugget-sized posts which go up in real time as information is received. The Guardian first used the live blog format to provide minute-by-minute commentaries of cricket and football matches. A daily blog was started for the 2010 general election. Now we run three regular news blogs every day – politics, business and Middle East – and at least one other. We recently ran live blogs on Oscar Pistorius's court appearances; when Drummer Lee Rigby was killed in Woolwich; and last week on reaction to the leak of details about the National Security Agency's collection of telephone and internet data.
Live blogging is immediate and reactive, telling readers what is known at the time. Andrew Sparrow, who ran the pioneering 2010 election daily blog, said afterwards: "If journalism is the first draft of history, live blogging is the first draft of journalism."Live blogging is immediate and reactive, telling readers what is known at the time. Andrew Sparrow, who ran the pioneering 2010 election daily blog, said afterwards: "If journalism is the first draft of history, live blogging is the first draft of journalism."
Matthew Weaver, who has run the Middle East live blog since the start of the Arab spring, says that readers understand that a live blog is never the definitive word. "This is what is appealing to readers," he says. "We are letting readers in on the process. We tell them that this is what we know, this is what is being said – you make up your own mind."Matthew Weaver, who has run the Middle East live blog since the start of the Arab spring, says that readers understand that a live blog is never the definitive word. "This is what is appealing to readers," he says. "We are letting readers in on the process. We tell them that this is what we know, this is what is being said – you make up your own mind."
He says running a live blog can be a stressful business. "With a Middle East blog, there are entrenched views on both sides. People leap on any perceived mistake."He says running a live blog can be a stressful business. "With a Middle East blog, there are entrenched views on both sides. People leap on any perceived mistake."
The speed with which mistakes can be corrected and the conversational tone of live blogging mean that it lends itself to transparency and correction. The Guardian's blogs producer, Paul Owen, says readers are used to live bloggers admitting imperfections: "We can say, for instance, that we realise we misheard a quote and correct it. It is different from traditional reporting, where the tone is one of omniscience."The speed with which mistakes can be corrected and the conversational tone of live blogging mean that it lends itself to transparency and correction. The Guardian's blogs producer, Paul Owen, says readers are used to live bloggers admitting imperfections: "We can say, for instance, that we realise we misheard a quote and correct it. It is different from traditional reporting, where the tone is one of omniscience."
Someone running a live blog will be pulling in information from many sources, including news wires, Twitter feeds and YouTube accounts. "Readers are used to trawling the internet for themselves," says Owen. "What they want is for us to funnel the best and the most reliable information."Someone running a live blog will be pulling in information from many sources, including news wires, Twitter feeds and YouTube accounts. "Readers are used to trawling the internet for themselves," says Owen. "What they want is for us to funnel the best and the most reliable information."
The systems for verifying information before it is posted in a live blog is more robust than many readers assume, he says. "If we are using tweets or posts from people we don't know, we try to find out about them. During the Woolwich live blog we contacted many people who were tweeting and spoke directly to them.The systems for verifying information before it is posted in a live blog is more robust than many readers assume, he says. "If we are using tweets or posts from people we don't know, we try to find out about them. During the Woolwich live blog we contacted many people who were tweeting and spoke directly to them.
"We would look at their history of tweets or videos and ask if this is the first time they have posted. Some tweets have been geotagged so you can tell where the tweeter was."We would look at their history of tweets or videos and ask if this is the first time they have posted. Some tweets have been geotagged so you can tell where the tweeter was.
"We would try to check a photo by looking at Google maps on street view to see if the buildings match. There are technical ways of checking whether a photo or video has been posted before. We cross-check information against what we know from reputable sources."We would try to check a photo by looking at Google maps on street view to see if the buildings match. There are technical ways of checking whether a photo or video has been posted before. We cross-check information against what we know from reputable sources.
"None of these things are foolproof, but the key thing is to be upfront with the reader about what we can and cannot verify. Some times we have to say, we cannot verify this, but it does square with what we're hearing from other sources.""None of these things are foolproof, but the key thing is to be upfront with the reader about what we can and cannot verify. Some times we have to say, we cannot verify this, but it does square with what we're hearing from other sources."
The conflict in Syria has been one of the most difficult and challenging stories to live blog, he says, not least because the Guardian, and other news organisations, do not have a reporter on the ground all the time.The conflict in Syria has been one of the most difficult and challenging stories to live blog, he says, not least because the Guardian, and other news organisations, do not have a reporter on the ground all the time.
"We have certain groups there we trust, who have over time proved to be broadly right. It would be a dereliction of our duty to ignore what we cannot verify 100%. It is better to do it, imperfections and all and be open about what we cannot verify, than to ignore it.""We have certain groups there we trust, who have over time proved to be broadly right. It would be a dereliction of our duty to ignore what we cannot verify 100%. It is better to do it, imperfections and all and be open about what we cannot verify, than to ignore it."
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