With Facebook Spaces, all your 360 content is now in VR, but is that a good thing?

Lot’s of people, or #foreveralone?

First impressions about Facebook Spaces for Oculus Rift:

TL;DR: Facebook Spaces, the recently released virtual reality app for Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, is basically a bit like AltspaceVR, but with Facebook bolted in.

That is to say, you get to go to a ‘space’ where you can hang out with your Facebook friends in virtual reality with an avatar.

Take a 360-degree ride inside the Trolley in Kingston

The Kingston Trolley Museum offers rides in Downtown Kingston from the bottom of Broadway to Rotary Park (by Kingston Point) from noon to 5 on weekends through Oct. 10. It makes a stop at the museum (though passengers seem puzzled at the stop on a recent visit, because the museum doesn't look like a museum) and a 10 minute stop at the park. Rides are $6 for adults and $4 for children (ages up to 5 ride for free). Fun for kids and a nice break if you're about town. There was a bit of a smell during a small part of the ride on this particular visit, but 360 videos don't have smell-o-vision. 

YET

Side note for journo-types looking for freebie audio files: Song is "Respira" by Jacopo Tore, used under Creative Commons license 4.0, shortened for length. You can get that for use (even commercially) and others where it came from at the Free Music Archive site.

DFM chat on what Facebook changes means for news organizations

*part [insert number here]

Digital First Media and other journalists, members of the community and fans of journalism are invited to take part in a Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time, to talk about all things journalism.

Today we are are talking about Facebook's recent algorithm changes and what it means for news organizations. What does it mean? How is it going to impact your news organization's impact, distribution and/or traffic goals? Does it change an individual journalist's equation of having a page vs. an open profile? What strategies can newsrooms implement?

If you want to be in the post chat archive, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat: The pros and cons of Facebook Live

Waiting for the right moment to try FB live.
And then https://t.co/0L68KOYfp6 pic.twitter.com/JeHR4OdRs0

— Ivan Lajara (@ivanlajara) May 16, 2016

Journalists, Digital First Media peeps, anyone who wants to are going to participate in a Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time, to talk about all things journalism.

Today we are talking about Facebook Live videos. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using that platform for live video? Does it fulfill your mission? How can you use it to your advantage? What kinds of videos should news organizations do live? Bring your ideas, links and #realtalk.

If you want to be in the post chat archive, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

Facebook's influence in the era of content

As a purported professional observer and chronicler and arranger of ~things that happen~ (and sometimes effusive emoter of excessive euphemisms), I enjoy taking note when ephemeral news gets entangled in ethereal virality.
And Monday was one such day, in which, like many other days before it, news happened.
But as big as those big things that happened were, I kept thinking about those other things, the ones that matter long past traffic inconveniences and web traffic spikes, like the schools elections that we care so little about even though we know better.
Or should know better.
Or, do we even know?
And, if you don't know, then how is it that we professional chroniclers of things that happen failed at informing those who needed to know?
For many a year, information mongers have arrogantly clung to the idea that it is the mythical citizen's duty to stay informed (it is, but whatevs). All of this is happening in an environment where the real citizens struggle with the day-to-day while enduring an incessant bombardment of all kinds of information.

So it is no wonder that nobody can hear the tree falling.
The forest is full of explosions.

DFM chat on live news video

Journalists, Digital First Media peeps, anyone who wants to are going to be taking part on our Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time, to talk about all things journalism.

ugh

Today we are talking about live video! What are the best platforms to use that are easy to use and help maximize audience? What tools do you need for desktop and mobile? What are the potential risks and rewards of such endeavors? Say hi in a live video platform of your choice!


If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat on new Facebook changes

Journalists, Digital First Media peeps, anyone who wants to are going to be taking part on our Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time, to talk about all things journalism.

Today we are talking about new Facebook changes, including new reaction buttons, Instant Articles and more. How can newsrooms use these new forms of engagement? How do you interpret the data from it? How cautious should you be as a journalist in using these buttons yourself? Are you planning on using Instant Articles? (What about notes? Remember those?) What about live video on Facebook and 360-degree video?

Posted by Ivan Lajara on Wednesday, February 24, 2016

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat on how to ethically gather news through social media

Journalists, members of Digital First Media  (maybe? Hello?) and members of the public are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about how to ethically gather news through social media, especially during breaking news. But wait! How do you even know it's true? How do you approach using user-generated content?

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat on emerging trends in journalism

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about emerging trends in journalism. From Facebook Signal to Virtual Reality to ad blockers and anything that's happening, including the rise of ad blocking. Let's get ahead of the curve. What are things to look forward? What should journalists keep an eye on? And what can journalists do in the meantime?

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat on what journalism can learn from social media, and the other way around

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about what can journalism learn from social media. But also, what can social media learn from journalism. What can social media do to increase the impact of a story?  Are there necessary journalistic practices being eroded because of social media? Bring your #realtalk.

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

Destroy the web

The New York Times building in New York.

The takes about Facebook's evolving relationship with news organizations continue at a good clip. I'm pretty sure there are many publishers freaking out about what this all means, because the future is uncertain, once again. And this won't be solved before the future becomes uncertain again.
That is the nature of the web.

Let's get buried together in the Snowpocalypsmaggedon

Kenneth Wilson park photo by Tania Barricklo. MOAR this way.

I hope you're home by the time you read this if you're in the Hudson Valley or the Catskills because we're about to get 12 to 24 inches of snow depending on how miserable you wanted to be when you picked a place to live in the area good jorb.

Anyway, if you want to share your pics on the twitters or the instagrams, use #dfsnow to share your photos but don't do that on Facebook because hashtags are terrible on Facebook.

The Freeman is on Instagram, by the way, but don't tell anybody, otherwise I only have the Freeman Tumblr left to to crazy things.

The links:

Post by Daily Freeman.

* Did you know Wikipedia has a 'supreme court' and that it can ban people from editing articles?   It's all because of the 'Gamergate controversy' and you'll regret it if you click on that last link to the Wikipedia article. People can be awful.

* Talking about terrible people, check out this terrible list of now 38 terrible New York state lawmakers who have face legal or ethical charges since 2000.  The 'How Many Days' since a New York lawmaker's arrest counter had to reset.

* Terrible names: There are two private equity firms reportedly interested in buying the parent company of the Freeman, one named after a Greek god that can bring "ill health and deadly plague" and the other named after a three-headed hell hound. The scary part of that sentence is "private equity firms."

* Terrible Skymall, we hardly knew ya.

Internet rounds up its favorite SkyMall items in light of magazine's bankruptcy: http://t.co/zQBUCquwo5 pic.twitter.com/YJZmQMAExA
— The Daily Dot (@dailydot) January 24, 2015

One cat: Me IRL


One Google Glass photo: Kingston Fire department trucks.

This photo reminds me of the time we gave a Kingston firefighter Google Glass for a day. Fun times.

Yesterday's Internet, Today! is a snow storm in which I throw in a bunch of links I tweeted, faved or saw the day before or in the morning. You also get a cat and a Google Glass photo.

DFM chat tackles how to post to Facebook as it constantly changes its algorithm

#fail

Greetings!

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time. If you got here because a college teacher sent you, *high five cat gif* But seriously how do you guys find this?

Anyway! Today we tackle Facebook. As the algorithm changes —and, boy, does it change?— so does journalists' way of posting and the implications of such changes, like uploading video to Facebook as opposed to just posting a link to the video. "Post great content" is great and all that, but there are lingering questions. Should you sponsor your posts? Should you upload your hard-to-produce videos? Bring your questions, your #realtalk, your links and tips.

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

Random post is random

The Freeman published its Year in Review and here's a random goat. 

Other randomness:

Random New York Times:

Here's a candid Q&A with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin and here's a quote:

"You know, I’ve never sexted anyone in my life except Anderson. I can’t resist. I just know he’s going to be so ——"

Camel racing with robot jockeys is a thing.

Brunch Hate Reading the New York Times also is a thing. The Gothamist is being silly, of course, because BRUNCH IS FOR JERKS.

Random people:

Meet Officer Timothy Zoll, master of foot in mouth statements.

Meet Emerson Spartz, terrible entrepreneur meme person . 

Random social media:

People are not sharing their marriage problems on Facebook. I wonder why.

Man Likes Twitter. People share Man Likes Twitter on Twitter.

One random cat:

.@ivanlajara Local Cat Likes Christmas pic.twitter.com/FhFPEHm6he
— Dave Lucas (@davelucas) December 28, 2014

One random Google Glass photo:

Yesterday's Internet, Today! is a random experiment in which I throw in a bunch of links I tweeted, faved or saw the day before or in the morning. I also post a cat and a Google Glass photo in case I've got nothing so at least there's a cat and a photo.

Reporting gruesome details on social media: Necessary or TMI?

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we're talking about what to do when journalists have gruesome details during live coverage? Do you report them? If so, how? What, at least, should journalist consider and balance when reporting such events? Are we even doing that? Bring your ideas, links and #realtalk.

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

Should Newsrooms Prioritize Facebook Over Twitter?

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we're talking about social media priorities. Should newsrooms favor Facebook over Twitter? Why or why not? And if so, how? Bring your ideas, links and #realtalk.

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat on how to improve the quality of comments

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we're revisiting how to improve the quality of comments. Most commenting platforms — Disqus, Livefyre, Facebook — are already chosen by news organizations. What we're trying to do here is to find ways to improve the quality of the comments on those platforms, whatever they are. Should reporters participate in story comments? How should journalists reply to antagonistic queries? How do you deal with Twitter mobs? What about trolls?

You can also check out past chats over here. Note that if you use Tweetchat you don't have to type the hashtag.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

DFM chat on Facebook page engagement

Post by Ivan Lajara.

Newspapers were the community's Facebook
wall before it was cool. This Kingston Daily Freeman
column is from Aug. 28, 1895.

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat at noon, Eastern Time, beginning the fourth year for this continuing experiment in journalism.

Today we're brainstorming the recent changes in Facebook that are blamed for a decrease in reach and engagement. What doesn't work anymore? What works now?

 To do that we're using hackpad to jot down our tips and whatever strategies we can come up with.

The hackpad document and the chat feed are posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.
Note that if you use Tweetchat you don't have to type the hashtag.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below. On the editable document, just sign in with your Facebook account. All the changes are tracked, so you get automatically credited for your contribution. You can make changes to the document or just keep track of it below.

Google+ embedded poss means you can embed Google Glass video posts

Public Google+ posts are embeddable, Google announced on Monday.
This is good. And like embeddable public Facebook posts, this also means that you can now embed Google Glass images posted on that service.
With Google+, now you can embed Google Glass videos as well.

This is very good.

This can have some positive ramifications for news coverage presentation on sites, which is very exciting. It is my aim to explore those possibilities.
There is a caveat, however, and that is that the embedded post is the preview of the video, in the form of an animated gif. Clicking on it takes the very large (!) video.

So it's not quite the whole enchilada, but it's still pretty good.

SO, in the meantime, embeds!

Twitter:

Just shared a photo #throughglass pic.twitter.com/cJiOd0Hthw

— Ivan Lajara (@ivanlajara) September 9, 2013

Facebook:

Post by Ivan Lajara.

Google+:

h/t to Steffen Konrath for embed tip.

Now you can (almost) post gifs to Facebook

The cool kids at giphy just had a post this morning that almost made me very happy.
The claim is that you can now post animated gifs on Facebook.
The cool kids at NowThis News got very excited.

Breaking GIF News: You can now post animated GIFs to Facebook using @Giphy http://t.co/zYQmT5DKSZ

— NowThis News (@nowthisnews) August 29, 2013

The uncool kid in me forces me to say this: Not quite.

Although you can post a giphy link and play the gif on Facebook (like playing a Youtube video), it's not like posting a gif directly, like you can on Google Plus or Tumblr (OHAI News Cat Gifs!)

I admit, it is still pretty cool (and less intrusive, I'd imagine).

@ivanlajara We are savoring the moment, with or without a play button ; )

— NowThis News (@nowthisnews) August 29, 2013

And then I remembered something cooler. You can MAKE your own gif with the gifboom app (WARNING: Contains teenagers) from your phone and share it on Facebook. And the result will be the same:

Post by Ivan Lajara.

Not crazy about Gifboom? You can do the same with Cinemagram, and pretty much anything else.

Post by Ivan Lajara.

And yes, you can embed Facebook posts. That's soooo yesterday.