The introduction of Facebook live has given a new meaning to broadcasting. This is not about reaching the person while he or she is mobile. That is already being achieved through streaming of most tv stations. Facebook Live has multiplied the number of live events being broadcast not through a traditional medium such as television. It has also provided newsrooms with the possibility of broadcasting news as they happen. The good news is that to achieve these results there is no need to invest in very expensive equipment particularly if you are running a portal rather than a tv newsroom. The latest versions of Iphone and Samsung, to mention just two brands, come with an improved camera leading to a quantum leap in quality.
I feel that given the lack of resources we have on these Islands and the financial constraints of news media, newsrooms should make more use of this facilities for on-the-spot live reporting and for showing news as they happen. As a former head of news I can say that filling a 25-minute bulletin with very interesting material is no joke. If you had to keep out political news items you would end up with next to nothing unless….you start thinking outside the box and make use of the new technology. Citizens may still contribute as they are doing by handing over footage of a traffic accident or a robbery but what if live reporting is also introduced now that the technology belongs to the present and not to the future?
Who will be the first newsroom in Malta to start making regular use of this possibility?