With our presentation behind us and our final posts in sight, I thought I’d write a blog on what we’ve found out about Multi-platform Delivery. Whilst watching BBC Breakfast this morning – they announced the BBC will be televising the Cambridge v Oxford boat race in 2010 for the first time in six years. The race which has been running for 155 years (2009) will be broadcast not only on television but also on many other platforms – a thing that has NEVER been done. At the moment it’ll be broadcast on television, radio, online and through mobile phones, and I’m sure there will be other platforms that will be utilised nearer the time.
I think this example sums up the main issues I/we have found while doing this blog/presentation. Multi-platform delivery IS here and IS changing the way we consume news, sport and entertainment. Rolling news on various platforms IS the norm now rather than a unique feature. I players, Listen again and Sky Plus are all used and it would be unimaginable to be in a world without them. The way journalists work is also changing and we have to adapt to cope with the demands to compete in a multi-platform world. From speaking to journalists who are doing this NOW, we can see how our jobs are going to be hectic but also arguably more interesting. It also opens many paths in relation to media regulations and ethical decisions which have to be made at greater speed, or on media which has previously been unexplored – such as Twitter (until recently).
I think we used a variety of media platforms to try and explain these points, and I think our teamwork was really good. We could have used more quotes from more famous journalists to highlight our point. After having Sky News’ Robert Kirk watch our Live @5 show, perhaps we could have talked more about the multi-media differences between the Beeb and Sky. Robert was emphasising that Sky journalists are more specialised in a profession (reporting, filming, editing) and this works better for the corporation – whereas the BBC is searching for journalists who are capable of writing, filming and editing across at least three platforms.
Jack of all Trades 
Chris, love your mention about the boat race being multi-platform. Here’s an interview with my Dad (!) from BBC Sport this morning where he mentions the magic ‘multimedia platform’ phrase. I think he probably picked it up on his visit to Falmouth last week!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/7952609.stm
Although it’s clear everyone in journalism now needs to be multi-skilled, I think it’s obvious that not everyone is going to turn into the next ‘Kevin Sites’. Certain people like radio, others like television, and as John Lilley, the Head of BBC South West , outlined, being able to work with different platforms – and being aware of how content can be used across platforms is key, but that doesn’t mean everyone working in radio is suddenly going to have to start doing daily tv reports, and vice-verser.
Is this perhaps the greatest example of a truly simultaneous, multi-platform programme from the BBC?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/bottomline/bottomline.shtml
Just recently, in a week-long trial, Radio 1 were streaming the Chris Moyles show(in TV not webcam quality) over the website. I found it incredibly fun, to see how knackered and rough, celebrities look at 8am in the morning (when not appearing on breakfast television).
I’m sure, this whole new radio feature, is going to turn out to be another lucrative online venture for the BBC.
In effect it’s cheap television, broadcast through the medium of radio. It worked for a while for Chris Evans, back in the 90s, when his Virgin breakfast show was being aired on Sky 1.
I totally agree Scott – I think both comments are very valid. I think skills across all media platforms will become increasingly important. Great link regarding Chris Moyles!
I think multiplatform IS the way of the future, not just for journalists but for media in general… just as you have demonstrated with your boat race example. I think we, as journalists, have made a wise choice when selecting our IJ/BJ courses that emphasize training in multimedia as well as opening our eyes to future of media (which is much of what this project is about).
I agree too, and I think it’s very exciting – so long as journalists aren’t trying to cover all platforms at the expense of the quality of their output.
Journalists should not only be thinking of all the different receptacles for their news content, but also of creative ways of combining video, audio, graphics, photos and written content. Here are three of my favourite projects:
Just one of many innovative interactive maps by the Multimedia team at The New York Times.
http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/cslideshow?sj=20090310214005-8555.js&sn=Supporting%20education%20in%20a%20Jakarta%20slum&sl=13&sa=audio
The simple idea of a slideshow of photos of a school in Jakarta with the sounds of the classroom really evoke a strong atmosphere. Captions provide further explanation.
http://edition.cnn.com/video/
CNN, like You Tube, have started suggesting further watching after you have viewed a video. In other words you are taken on a video tour of a story. It’s particularly effective when there are conflicting views and you can hear each of them from the horse’s mouth.