Detailed 'open source' news investigations are catching on

[Budi]

By DAVID BAUDER
May 8, 2022

https://apnews.com/article/open-source-media-investigations-d1093d4ea4e98a3ae21850196847c6e1

One of the more striking pieces of journalism from the Ukraine war featured intercepted radio transmissions from Russian soldiers indicating an invasion in disarray, their conversations even interrupted by a hacker literally whistling “Dixie.”

It was the work of an investigations unit at The New York Times that specializes in open-source reporting, using publicly available material like satellite images, mobile phone or security camera recordings, geolocation and other internet tools to tell stories.

The field is in its infancy but rapidly catching on. The Washington Post announced last month it was adding six people to its video forensics team, doubling its size.

The University of California at Berkeley last fall became the first college to offer an investigative reporting class that focuses specifically on these techniques.
More..

[barbaraann]

1. Is that a tiny flicker of hope for actual journalism I see in the distance there???

Go UC Berkeley Journalism! Looks like a great program!
https://journalism.berkeley.edu/

[Budi]

2. Wow, yes it does!

The fact that Ukraine could show the world what was really happening in their country, & we weren't limited to Putin's propaganda, is a direct result of this very open source reporting.

The fact that on the ground reporting, used video & geolocations, satelite etc was key to a world view as it was happening.
This is a big part of the reason why the world applauded the Ukrainians, supported en mass, realized such need for NATO weaponry & gave us the little blue tractor episode.

Open Source is, I hope, the new journalism that calls out the propagandized methods of closed source.
Ukraine is the perfect example of it.

[Budi]

3. From their website (worth a look)

"Why Minor in Journalism If I Don't Plan To Be a Journalist?"
Whatever your field, success in the digital age demands skill in communicating across a variety of media platforms. Berkeley’s minor in journalism will prepare you for a future in which communication skills will be a vital part of any endeavor.

This is a hands-on curriculum that gives students real world experience.
Instruction focuses on core techniques of reporting and writing, video, still photography, audio, social media, data, and the creation of online multimedia packages that will enable you to attract and engage an audience in your work.

Each year students from every campus departmental major enroll in the journalism minor, including students from engineering, chemistry, microbiology, cognitive science, economics, psychology, Media Studies and more.
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[barbaraann]

4. Brilliant.

We really can't take journalism for granted these days.