Frontline Club – Events: THIRD PARTY EVENT: The future of newsgathering and the changing media landscape19.00 Keynote speaker: Gavin Sheppard, marketing director, Media Trust. 19.30 Panel discussion: The future of newsgathering and the changing media landscape Change in the media landscape is constant. Technology and new media has enabled both journalists and citizens on the street to actually break news themselves.

The panel is Paul Lewis (Guardian), Matthew Eltringham (BBC College of Journalism), Mark Evans (Sky News), Gavin Sheppard (Media Trust) and Ravin Sampat (Blottr) – moderated by Nikki Bedi (BBC)

#FNG12 has started. Intro with @nikkibedi pic.twitter.com/jBRxfyBkKaty Durrans

Nikki Bedi is reading out the panel’s Twitter profiles at #fng12 twitpic.com/a1k9uvBrian_Condon

Gavin says he feels like “a junior Minister on Newsnight” as he’s not an esteemed journalist or a newsgatherer. He notes the fundamental shift in the production and consumption of media. He says 91% of adults use a mobile phone – lots of them smartphones.

.@gavinmediatrust giving keynote speech at #FNG12 "communities no longer prepared to sit back" and merely absorb mainstream media

Somewhat odd there’s no blogger or community reporter on the panel #fng12 @johnpopham would’ve been good.

As the news environment gets noisier people will appreciate the comment and analysis from mainstream more and more. @GavinMediaTrust #FNG12

#fng12 Decent turnout despite the football! @mediatrust @blottr pic.twitter.com/BdDZRO80Katrine Carstens

Challenges are about needing to take a view much more quickly whether you are a journalist or a politician as a story can gather pace in hours or minutes. People have more technology in their pockets than news organisations had 10 years ago.

#FNG12 @GavinMediaTrust says communities are no longer willing to be bystanders they can circumnavigate media to get voices heard

Playing journobuzzword bingo at #fng12 MSM, UGC, validation, citizen journalism, it’s too easy!

Opportunity for community produced media needs to be treated as ‘a contribution’ and possibly paid for. There’s lots of it out there – and some of it is high quality and very good; well linked to communities and their concerns – he argues.

RT @Media_Trust: Local news for local communities is a valid and important contribution to the mainstream. @GavinMediaTrust #FNG12

Collaboration is what’s happening now. People are recording, sharing. That’s journalistic. @PaulLewis #FNG12

#FNG12 @PaulLewis poses question, what would happen if there were no paid journalists? In riots citizen journalists filled gaps in reporting

Nikki is asking Ravin if “journalism has moved beyond the stereotype” – mentions coffee swilling reporter typing frantically typing against a deadline. Ravin says we have a 24hr news cycle and news apps, with Twitter being a new source. Consumption is changing so production must – he argues. Technology and people have changed and the combination of these new ways of generating content and news has changed how broadcasters need to behave.

#FNG12 Ravin from @blottr is questioning what the difference is between a professional and citizen journalist

Paul observes that we do more than we could and we can certainly do better. What’s happening is the symbiotic relationship Gavin mentioned – and this opens up new avenues to explore and increased transparency. But it is difficult – where might we end up? Fewer being paid to do journalism but more people doing what might be described as journalism. The riots last year showed that. Between 1 and 4 am Sky and the BBC had to pull out of the area. But the was a constant feed of information online.

#fng12 Check out Swedish Radio project Journalism 3.0 creating symbiosis between user generated content and traditional journalism

#FNG12 @nikkibedi "always the risk of disinformation" @PaulLewis "there has always been disinformation" but social media also regulates self

#FNG12 @GavinMediaTrust if community produced media is embraced by the mainstream media it will only ensure a wider diversity of reporting

Social media is viral media and it can be self-regulating argues Paul.

Matthew arguing that the verification of the content produced by local or citizen journalists is an important part of the BBC’s approach; such material needs to be forensically examined and verified.

#FNG12 @skymarkevans says citizen journalism isn’t new, he’s always used parish magazines etc as a news gathering source

Nikki asks Mark about Sky News’ policies and he agrees that they have changed – and Sky don’t reTweet any other news organisation’s tweets. Here’s the first google entry if you search for that! From the Guardian:

Sky News clamps down on Twitter useSky News has told its journalists not to repost information from any Twitter users who are not an employee of the broadcaster. An email to staff on Tuesday laid out new social media guidelines for Sky News employees, including a contentious ban on retweeting rival "journalists or people on Twitter".

Paul is arguing that news is also about trust – and the liveblog is an important new aspect. Some news organisations are not that trusted he argues. Mark says that analysis and brand recognition are still important.  He thinks that the power of a brand combined with the value added by verification and analysis are sufficient to deliver sustainable business.  @KatyBlotter notes:

#FNG12 @skymarkevans "not the keepers of information anymore…we have a role to play in terms of validation…analysis"

And @Stuartdhughes agrees:

. @skymarkevans quite right – verifying stories gathered via social media isn’t a new skill for journalists #fng12

#FNG12 @GavinMediaTrust citizen journalism and prof journalism don’t replace eachother, but they should work together to benefit public most

#FNG12 @PaulLewis "users/readers as good or better" at commenting on live football in this example

Matthew says a mixed model is where a lot of journalism is going and he says it’s challenging and interesting to the BBC.

Paul Lewis says “it’s not just trust” it’s also about the quality of writing and investigation. He mentions ‘grey news’ and the need for verification. And the propagation of material which needs to be checked. Matthew says that just the fact that the BBC and Sky are asking ‘is this true’ gives it credence.

Panel now focusing on the use of false stories to generate attention and drive traffic to websites; and the ethics of later “withdrawing” a story.

Question about the process for verifying sources of news on Twitter – “You never pay them do you?” Nikki asks Ravin.  Ravin says “No.  Never.”.  

#FNG12 debating methods of checking socmed sources. Journos need to be quick if it’s already on socmed but doesn’t mean it’s true

Paul mentions the construction of false identities online – and agrees that “We have made mistakes”.  In dealing with something new, and taking risks, mistakes are going to happen.  

Ravin says “it’s the way we’re changing and we want it now” – Nikki agrees.

What about the future asks a participant [he didn’t give his name]; he’s concerned that the ‘trusted brands’ won’t be here in the future. Mark says we are talking about the ways in which we will help journalism survive. There may be new brands that can be trusted – and young people interact with the big brands differently.

Mark arguing that the mobile device is revolutionising newsgathering and this may mean that brands we have now may not exist.  But there will be trusted brands.  

#FNG12 @seancurtisward asks whats the financial model – when will citizen journos get paid for their contributions to media

Paul arguing there’s little money about – and there will be less. But there is abundance and chaos- and the difficulty for everyone is is working out how to access and find the news they need.

#FNG12 "all journalism is going online" newspapers and tv @PaulLewis @Blottr

The event finishes with Nikki thanks the sponsors, participants and panel members, conversations begin and the panelists stand and as they do, I hear the following and immediately Tweet:

"No community panel members" says @skymarkevans wryly. The panel laughs. #fng12.

As the room clears, I have a quick look at the Storify copy, republish, and make this Audio boo:

Immediate reflections on the Future of NewsgatheringAn Audioboo by brian_condon

You might also be interested in the ‘reach’ of the event; here’s a Tweetreach report:

Twitter Reach Report Results for #fng12Activity provides details about the tweets in this report, including the total number of tweets and unique contributors, the time period covered by the report, a graphical timeline showing tweet volume during the report period, and tweet type breakdown.

Two words not mentioned at #FNG12 "blogger" and "#leveson"Brian_Condon

Since the event, there’s been some further comment on Twitter:

#FNG12 been thinking: Sometimes my job feels like media for community development, sometimes it feels like community for media developmentKim Townsend

future of Newsgathering? The likes of @_sampat and @Blottr staying one step ahead of the wires with credible grassroots journalism #fng12Stuart Hughes