Innovation in Journalism - The iPhone and all it brings.

Broadcast journalism is traditionally associated with a high-tech studio, professional lighting, and hours of rehearsal and perfection. But now there’s a whole new wave of broadcast journalism which, rather than utilising expensive equipment, is all centralised around the use of an iPhone.

What was once the result of hours of filming on one device, editing on another, and then publicising on another, can now all be completed on a handheld device that many people already have in their pocket.

With the introduction of hundreds of journalist-friendly apps, the capabilities of the industry have changed forever, and created an entirely new creature; the digital journalist.

Vericorder is a company which has created a series of software and hardware accessories which allow journalists to record and edit on the move. The “mCam lite” is a case for your iPhone which incorporates an external microphone, a wide angle lense, and also has the capability to attach further accessories, such as a tripod to stabilise your set up shots.  The addition of an XLR cable allows journalists to attach a high quality microphone, of their choice, to their iPhone. This ensures optimum sound recording, whether you are recording breaking news or pre-planned interviews. This system is used by news corporations across the globe, including; CBC News, CTV, BBC and CBS.

The advances in mobile recording are not limited to the accessories you can attach to your phone. Mobile applications have opened up a whole new world to journalists and their individual capabilities. Applications such as “Voddio” make it possible for journalists to edit packages for TV, radio and online, to a high broadcasting standard. The application allows journalists to create the same complex edits that they would in the news room, or simply cut recordings down to the exact quote required.

The ability to create complex packages on one small device, gives journalists the opportunity to create content in situations that otherwise would have been impossible. For example the BBC's Middle East bureau chief, Paul Danahar, recorded footage in the village of Qubair in Syria which was then shown on the BBC’s 10 o’clock news. Without the use of an iPhone it would have been near impossible for him to get any footage in this hostile environment.

The bar doesn’t stop at small video clips. Philip Bromwell produced an entire package for RTE news, from beginning to end on an iPhone 5. “Dublin Dockers” was recorded in full 1080p HD and is indistinguishable from any other TV news package. The ability to transform your mobile phone into a high quality camera or microphone in an instant expands journalist’s horizons when it comes to creating clever and informative packages.

Print journalism has also been affected by the ever expanding influence of the iPhone. The newspaper industry made the transition from film to digital photographs in 2003. This was due to the ability for the press to receive and use the photos quicker than ever before. Press photographer, Marc Daniels said “digital photography quality is inferior to film, however, because of the low printing quality associated with newspapers, this does not matter”.

The transition to digital has meant that in conjunction with Wi-Fi and 3g technology, the photograph taken can be on the news editor’s computer within minutes, with a simple click of a button. Ever since 2000 and the release of the first camera phone, technology has exploded and “the world is now drowning in images” (The Guardian, 2013). With the expansion and the easy availability of camera phones, people are more likely to use their phones compared to a compact or SLR camera. Even though smartphone cameras don’t currently match the quality of traditional cameras, the technology is constantly evolving.

Although the iPhone has advanced the opportunities of journalists, it has also made their job that much harder. The iPhone and social networking sites go hand in hand. One has the capability to easily create content and take high resolution images, and the other allows for easy distribution. The expansion of social media alongside the fact that the majority of the general public own smartphones, means that journalists have more competition when it comes to reporting breaking news stories.

Major news events regularly break on Twitter before any journalists have even got wind of its occurrence. Over 50% of people have learned about breaking news via social media, rather than official news sources (Roy Morejon, 2012).  Infamously, Abbottabad IT consultant Sohaib Athar, unknowingly live-tweeted the Navy SEAL raid that resulted in Osama Bin Laden’s death. This tweet took place approximately nine hours before the news even hit the wires. This emphasises the power that Twitter holds.

 The iPhone has not only changed how people upload news, but it has also altered how they consume the news. Having the world at your fingertips creates a thirst for knowledge.

There are more than 200 million active Twitter users worldwide, and 60% of their tweets come from mobile phones (Telegraph Technology, 2013). 1.75 billion people are expected to use a smartphone in 2014 (E Marketer, 2014). These are 200 million people that have the capability to tell the world of current events and 1.75 billion people that have the potential to take the corresponding footage.  This is a massive market for journalists to compete with.

However it’s not all doom and gloom, as journalists have one thing up their sleeve that the layman doesn’t. Accuracy. The 140 character restriction on twitter can lead to crucial facts being left out. It also encourages the escalation of rumours, as the ability to re-tweet means that tweets can far outreach their committed followers. Journalists and news publications provide a dependant source for news and current affairs. Although Twitter offers convenience, it’s a world that is still open to Journalists, it’s just a matter of them getting on top of the news first.

The iPhone is just the beginning of a new generation in news. It has not only affected how people consume their news, it has given them the ability to create it. The balance of power has shifted, and the media moguls need to keep up.