What do audiences truly want from rolling updates to a fast-moving news story?
The war in Ukraine has reminded of us a very powerful format of news: the live blog. When covering a rolling news story, a newsroom is challenged to provide updates, analysis, context and even opinion as events unfold.
One of the pioneers of live blogs is no doubt the Guardian, with its politics live blog running for 12 years now and amassing a staggering one billion page views.
In an article for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) the head of editorial innovation at the Guardian, Chris Moran, spoke to RISJ' s head of editorial Eduardo Suárez about what the newspaper has learned along the way.
"The ‘What we know so far’ format is of particular use in a story that moves this quickly and which can become overwhelming very fast. Opinion's role here is also critical. It's really telling that opinion in this context shows deep engagement and this speaks to the value it has in explaining and contextualising in interesting ways. Finally, human stories that capture the voices and experiences of those affected almost inevitably hold attention in ways that simple updates can't," the article reads.
If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).
Sign up to receive job alerts of your choice by email, or manage your subscription
Featured recruiter: click to view its vacancies
New digital journal covering inflation and rate setting seeks a talented writer with experience as a financial journalist to use data to produce specialist content
Subscribe to our newsletter for latest news, tips, jobs and more
End that deadline stress today and find help in our freelance directory
Personal trainer James Hilton has launched a podcast 'Jim's Gym - Inspiring Movement'. James, a specialist in biomechanics and injury recovery from the Cotswolds, runs Jim's Gym, a virtual online space supporting people over 55 to be more active
Our next Newsrewired conference will be in May 2025, London.
Conferences and study weeks are fantastic opportunities to get the latest updates on the industry and network with your peers
Awards are a great way to have your hard work recognised by industry experts and celebrate your teams. Here is where you can apply
If you find your social feeds a tad too heavy on men's voices, follow and connect with these fantastic women experts on indie media
How do you move print readers to digital? Are there other ways to hold on to subscribers besides a last-ditch deal?
