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    RECAP: Day 4 of N3Con

    August 6, 2021 • 0 Comment

    AAJA-Asia’s 11th edition of the New.Now.Next Media Conference (N3Con) went into its fourth day on Thursday with over 350 registered participants gathered online, reimagining news over a full week of programming from August 2 – 7.

    We will be sending a daily newsletter with some conference highlights and tips to make the most out of the event. In this issue, we are pleased to feature recaps on collaborative environmental reporting, grabbing and keeping a podcast audience, audience engagement through data analysis. We wish you a good read and a great conference ahead!

    — AAJA-Asia Team

    From top to bottom and left to right: Yao-Hua Law, Science Journalist & Co-Founder, Macaranga; Kuang Keng Kuek Ser, Data Editor, Pulitzer Center; Karol Ilagan, Editorial Director, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Andrew Lehren, Senior Editor, NBC News.

    Network Journalism in Environmental Reporting

    By Ryan Lai

    In this session, three Rainforest Investigation Networks (RIN) fellows were led by Kuek Ser Kuang Keng, Data Editor at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, as they looked into cross-border collaborative journalism through their recent investigation on deforestation issues.

    Panelists Yao-Hua Law, Science Journalist & Co-Founder, Macaranga; Karol Ilagan, Editorial Director, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Andrew Lehren, Senior Editor, NBC News discussed how joining hands allowed for the sharing of information, data, documents, and in turn, story ideas between them. It also created the advantage of having foreign expertise, locals who possess familiarity in their respective country’s legislation, language and connection, which brought efficiency and convenience.

    When asked about pandemic-induced difficulties and their attempts to overcome them, participants said reaching out to local networks is an effective alternative to universities and research centers when they are forced to close under lockdown measures. Satellite images and AI software aid geographical analysis and presentation that are essential to environmental investigation especially upon travel restrictions.

    Trust is also a key concern in collaborative journalism. They pointed out the importance of looking into potential partners’ bodies of work, as well as seeking help through trusted organizations. The first meeting is also a great opportunity to form mutual understanding. Last but not least, empathy and acknowledgement are vital, as people are often on a different footing. Respect towards other journalists and NGOs past work would be essential to succeed.

    Lunchtime with Malaysiakini

    By Rebecca Isjwara
    ‌
    On the fourth day of N3Con, we spent our lunchtime with online news portal Malaysiakini. In a session moderated by Glenn van Zutphen, founder of VanMedia Group, Steven Gan, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of the news firm touched on Malaysian politics, the local COVID situation, and also how they manage to cover an overwhelming period for news – from racial tensions to national health concerns. He also shared that the newsroom’s subscription-based model has helped them ride out the pandemic financially and that their paying readerbase has only grown during the last two years.

    Grab & Keep Your Podcast, Radio, or Vlog Audience

    By‌ ‌Dexter‌ ‌Lin‌ ‌ ‌
    ‌
    Glenn van Zutphen taught a workshop on how to engage your podcast, radio, or vlog audiences.

    Van Zutphen is the founder of VanMedia Group, a group that – among other things – coaches early and mid-career journalists. Glenn also runs a talk show on Singaporean radio station Money.FM on Saturday mornings.

    Van Zutphen ran participants through the basics of hosting, like how to prepare for an interview, or the importance of keeping the interview natural by stopping guests from monologue.

    He opened up the floor to questions by participants, where he answered questions on how to make one’s podcast stand out in a sea of podcasts, gave tips on speaking clearly and dealing with difficult guests, and shared helpful anecdotes about his experience.

    Rappler and its Audience Engagement in Philippines through Data Analysis

    By Jiaquan Lu

    The leading online magazine in the Philippines, Rappler is known for Sharktank – its specialised online database keeping track of public Facebook posts and pages.

    In an after-work session moderated by Joon-Nie Lau, Asia Director of WAN-IFRA APAC, Rappler’s Head of Data and Innovation Don Kevin Hapal took on questions about the digital media company’s innovative use of data for engaging audiences and improving its reporting. A persistent effort helped Rappler to be seen as a trusted brand, in the midst of a media landscape where misinformation and disinformation run rampant.

    Kevin also took the opportunity to share some surprises about the Rappler’s audiences that he discovered through their data analytics. Kevin further elaborated on his formulas in learning data skills during his ongoing career in data journalism, revealing some points of Rappler’s strategic game plan for the coming year.

    Workshop: Your Voice, Your Truth

    By Lawati Ning Sang

    Arthur Samuel Joseph, founder and chairman of the Vocal Awareness Institute, gave audience members a chance to stretch their muscles and learn how to speak with spirit and confidence in his workshop.

    As a noted communication strategist on the human voice, Arthur shared a few tips on how we can pose ourselves and warm up our voices. He engaged the audience by encouraging attendees to open up their camera and follow his practices like extending one’s arms, engaging one’s core, and feeling how the voice is projected. Noticing the changes in breath can make a difference in how we present ourselves and make an influence.

    Apart from physical practice, Arthur shared a tip on how we can improve our presence by ‘’claiming who we are.’’ He empowered audience members by reminding them to embrace the following notion before communicating: “I am an extraordinary person and I can do extraordinary things.”

    Related reading from N3Magazine, the official publication of N3Conference:

    Podcast:
    In this episode, we talk to Joon-Nie Lau, WAN-IFRA director of Asia.

    We discuss:

    • Pivoting from a career in media to teaching media students
    • Her experience setting up a student newsroom
    • How the industry has changed, and how aspiring media students can prepare for the future




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    RECAP: Day 4 of N3Con