By Kara Calson
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University
Robots, 360-degree video, 3-D printing, virtual reality. These are terms that used to seem like something out of a sci-fi novel, but they’re now reality.
As technology evolves, journalists must adjust to the fast pace and ever-changing tools. Each new piece of technology draws questions: Can I use this technology? How do I learn this? What are the ethical concerns?
For many journalists, there’s also a fear in the backs of their minds: Is this going to take my job?
Not yet. While technology is evolving fast, tech experts at the spring conference of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers said it’s not something journalists should fear. Instead, journalists should embrace the changing technology and learn to use it to strengthen their reporting.
Robotics and automation
People who fear losing their jobs often react to two words the most – robots and automation.
“This is going to happen with or without us. We can either embrace this change or let it pass us by,” said Reg Chau, executive editor of editorial operations, data and innovation at Thomson Reuters.
Machines aren’t necessarily better than their human counterparts in everything, but they are sometimes cheaper, faster and more efficient, Chau said. Technology can provide journalists with data and insight on what their audience wants, which can give them a competitive advantage.
“Machine’s don’t take coffee breaks,” Chau said.
But robots don’t have a personal touch – at least not yet.
Journalists can start taking advantage of automation by allowing machines to take on tasks involving data and financial reports. Chau said robots also can help find data and trends that will help journalists identify stories.
Machines and journalists should work together, Chau said. Automation can free up journalists to work on deeper projects.
Newsrooms are increasingly using automation to cut down on work. For example, the Associated Press went from producing 300 quarterly reports to creating 3,700 reports by using automation, said Lisa Gibbs, global business editor at The Associated Press.
“We have an opportunity to serve readers a lot better,” Chau said. “You can create stories for people when they want it.”
360 and virtual reality
As virtual reality and 360-degree video emerge as new platforms for storytelling, many journalists don’t know how to start.
Retha Hill, executive director of the Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, recommended using free sources, including the Google street view camera. Hill said the technology is simple and easy to use.
Hill advised business journalists to start by trying visual stories, such as new development or anything involving robots or artificial intelligence.
The technology has raised ethical dilemmas and fake news concerns, but that’s the same with any technology, Hill said. People can manipulate any kind of photography and video.
“When people are in 360 view of cliffs, you think you’re going to fall off, it’s so real,” Hill said. “So we have to be careful what we do. We have to make sure we’re being as true as possible.”
Drones
Drones seem like the hip new invention, and people gravitate toward them for a variety of reasons – from reporters using them to help collect information or kids using them as toys.
Reporters have used drones to increase their storytelling ability through visuals and even as a way to investigate, said Sally French, social media editor for MarketWatch. She’s also known as the “Drone Girl.”
Drones can provide a new perspective on places and can easily go where people often can’t go – at least not easily – and allow for great images of crowds and views from high buildings.
French said reporting falls under commercial use, which was illegal until June 2016. Now, people who use drones for commercial use must obtain a license and follow guidelines, including keeping the drone in visual line of sight.
Infographic tools
One of the simplest ways to take advantage of technology is through simple infographics.
Technology has made it easier than ever to build quick, easy graphics.
Many of these programs work off of something similar to an Excel spreadsheet. Easy-to-use programs used by the Puget Sound Business Journal include infogr.am.
“There’s a fine line between enlightening and confusing with graphics,” said Ryan Lambert, the organization’s creative director. He recommended using simple data and breaking up more complicated data.
Choosing the best type of graphic is also key. A pie chart might work well for one thing and terrible for another.
Another online data and infographic resource is Graphiq, which takes artificial intelligence to create interactive graphics and data.
3-D printing
People have used 3-D printers to create everything from tools used in aerospace manufacturing to shoes and dentures.
3-D printing company Carbon is launching the first printed shoe in collaboration with adidas. Carbon Founder Phil DeSimone said some day, they may to go beyond customizing sizes and make shoe molds designed for specific people, such as “size Phil.”
The ability to print in three dimensions has been around since the 1980s, but it only recently has taken off.
“It’s important for reporters to think of 3-D printing as a commercial market … not a lot cover the competitive nature,” said Sarah Webster of EnvisionTEC
The panelists said they expect it 3-D printing to actually bring industry to the U.S, not hurt it.
DeSimone said 3-D printing could hurt huge companies that have centralized manufacturing, but he said he does not expect the technology to affect small mom and pop shops. The panelists predicted it actually will bring more jobs back to the U.S since it will make it cheap to print on site.
