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New network of journalists set up to combat ‘decline in regional news’

James-3A new video reporter network service has been launched in a bid to combat what it calls the “decline in regional news”.

The initiative has been launched by WinkBall, an online platform which allows journalists to file reports and broadcasts, and also offers a service allowing other organisations to hire its network of reporters to cover events for them.

WinkBall has launched a new membership scheme and is now urging journalists to join with the hope they will be able to build up their own network of clients and customers through the site.

The scheme is the brainchild of Dr James Ohene-Djan, left, who lectures in the department of computing at Goldsmiths, University of London, and entrepreneur Duncan Barclay.

Dr Ohene-Djan said: “In an ever changing digital world, we wanted to create a solution to the decline in regional news as well as breathe life into on the ground reporting in the UK and globally.

“We are passionate about news and – especially – championing community stories. Media can be a tricky industry to get into and we want to use our skills to support those aspiring to a career in their chosen field.

“We believe WinkBall to be the modern day answer to real, relevant news reporting today.”

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  • November 29, 2017 at 8:27 am
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    “…modern day answer to real, relevant news reporting”
    No it’s not
    The issues with declining copy sales and interest in regional papers isn’t one of how news is reported, it’s the belief by the content chiefs and easily influenced boards above them,who only understand bottom line revues ,that generic ‘copy and paste’box filler and social media scraped nibs are the cheap and easy alternative to proper local reportage and that people will put up with any old filler , declining copy sales show this to be untrue.
    the publishers know this but If they won’t finance quality journalists, editors and business minded Commercial sales people they sure as heck won’t be paying out to use a generic / non local video subscription membership news service.
    It’s also telling that the doctor lectures in “ the department of computing’ and he talks of an ever changing ‘digital world’ with no mention of printed publications or a knowledgeable grass roots hyper local news service

    The service also appears to major on video reporting and broadcast reporters thus wholly missing the crux of the issue: falling newspaper copy sales and non existent ad sales due to weak content and the wealth of readily available free online news easily accessible to anyone with an electronic device ;eg everyone.
    I wish him good luck with selling this but as they say on dragons den, it’s not a viable commercial proposition for the real issue in question so for that reason I’m ooot

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