About Einar Thorsen

Lecturer in Journalism and Communication at Bournemouth University.

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-08-22

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Student protesters declare victory at @GlasgowUni sit-in http://j.mp/nIwYRC – result: no further cuts to courses, no compulsory redundancies #
Cameron heckled as divided Britain debates riots http://j.mp/n8q20D – out of touch even in his own constituency! #
A Brief History of Online Activism http://j.mp/r8Xauf #
Pulse Beats The Drum For International Growth, Signs Up Al Jazeera http://j.mp/pHhDvJ #
When will we stop saying “Pictures from Twitter” and “Video from YouTube”? http://j.mp/qeJStB #
This is a must read: RT: @Bynickdavies: The phone-hacking evidence which Murdoch's people hid for four years http://t.co/syvWdlO #
Adobe's Muse a middle ground between iWeb and Dreamweaver http://j.mp/r66dMi #
Where Does Googorola Leave HP's webOS? http://j.mp/r0JVoc #
@davidmanus thanks, bookmarked for future read. Trust Stockholm is going well and keeping you busy? in reply to davidmanus #
Social media and transparency at Swedish local paper Norran http://j.mp/onLu9F #
What Norwegians get up to, when base jumping just doesn't provide enough adrenaline http://j.mp/qYxP7W #
This is insane: Newsquest papers run editorial calling for return of capital punishment, death penalty for UK rioters http://j.mp/razzsE #
Libyan TV presenter holding a gun and vows to defend state TV station, staff ready to become martyrs – http://j.mp/q99NtX #arabspring #libya #
? A Simple Explanation for Why HP Abandoned Palm and Is Getting Out of the PC Business http://j.mp/pktzzO #
NSS – a poor performance indicator? http://j.mp/q7R7Ta #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-08-15

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Yacht meets supertanker – dramatic collision, lucky escape http://j.mp/oCPubw #
beta620: Experimental Projects From The New York Times http://j.mp/rgVJjN – more news organisations should do this! #
Web curation tools for journalists, by Ramaa Sharma @BBCCollege http://j.mp/oZlBBA #bbc #curation #socialmedia #
Professional footballer retires at 25 as "career is only money and corruption. It is capitalism, and capitalism is death" http://j.mp/qHreZJ #
FTSE100 moves into "bear territory" – defined as fall of more than 20% from its recent peak http://j.mp/mQqI7S – time to abandon capitalism? #
What I Learned Mapping The London Riots http://j.mp/qkQFUe – by James Cridland #
Digg Launches Newswire, a Social News Curation Tool http://j.mp/qwOESc #
Amazing Panoramic Photos Of Hiroshima After The Atomic Bomb Blast http://j.mp/rjUDPe #
How Students Use Technology [INFOGRAPHIC] http://j.mp/o7djmM #
How a musician and a Sikh TV channel dominated coverage of the Birmingham riots http://j.mp/ppYOWr #
?Six weeks to go until the start of term @BournemouthUni, we have Facebook forums for MA students wishing to meet up http://j.mp/n92tQ2 #
@Loumat33 sorry in reply to Loumat33 #
Cameron vows tough action against UK rioters: "we wil not let any phoney concerns about human rights get in the way" http://j.mp/nKWf1J #
Twitter: the emergency broadcast system and the journalist http://j.mp/oqLmIQ – by @digidickinson #
Police cracking down on riot hoaxers http://j.mp/oF0PvV – @Bournemouthecho story I was interviewed for about Twitter use during riots #
England Riots Boost Local Newspaper Sales And Traffic http://j.mp/rliyur – by Josh Halliday #
What happened to @johnprescott's £60k homes for first-time buyers? http://j.mp/oxHxDz – good Poorer Than Their Parents feature by Alvin Hall #
@Ojeansen takk takk in reply to Ojeansen #
How to get children cycling to school http://j.mp/oMx0oM – 7 tips by @Lakerlikes, misses the obvious: set good example and cycle to work! #
Seriously? RT: @BBCJonSopel Your Call on @BBC5live how should we punish the rioters? Make those in council houses homeless? call 0500 909693 #
@BBCJonSopel @BBC5live pretty disappointed by the way you have chosen to frame this. in reply to BBCJonSopel #
@Up_To_Speed thanks, much obliged in reply to Up_To_Speed #
Björk's "App Album" Shows The Way For Musicians http://j.mp/r0NYHJ #
INFOGRAPHIC: UK riots – Gauging the Columnists Blame Game http://j.mp/om5cZx #
Guardian News Traces http://j.mp/oVbfJc – pretty cool visualisation tool for augmenting current affairs and recent history #
Guardian and Ushahidi collaborate on Project Activate http://j.mp/onuYfo #
Osborne seeks justification to scrap 50p tax rate http://j.mp/p76VyC – tax cut for the richest, nice timing! #
Wow! RT @faraway67: Ice Man Eric Guth explores caves in glaciers around the world http://t.co/z8Ev140 #geology #ice #photos Cool. Literally. #
Disturbing or Beautiful? Artists Evaluate Man's Impact on Nature http://t.co/WWPOKW9 #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-08-08

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Innovation is key to regional media success http://j.mp/qqkmhY – by Chris Bunyan, Localstars #
'Light show' maps showcase Twitter, Flickr usage around the world http://j.mp/mVWfDs – nice visualisations from Eric Fischer #
@peastonprice yep, nail on head. in reply to peastonprice #
The Internet Is Filling Up with Dead People and There's Nothing We Can Do About It http://j.mp/r1RpEw #
Received incredible number of applications for PhD studentship on news reporting of #ArabSpring – shortlisting is going to be v. difficult! #
Playing with our LoveFilm trial made me wish there was such a thing for books… until I remembered: it's called a library! #
AOL launches Editions into the personal-newspaper iPad app fray http://j.mp/q8PoPn #
When suicide was illegal http://j.mp/mYycml – interesting feature by Gerry Holt on law changes in England/Wales 50 years ago #
Academics at the fore of hacking debate http://j.mp/ppHrLO – Prof Petley with apt response to Prof Giddings, but we still need to do more #
How Publishers Are Dealing With Apple's In-App Subscription Policies http://j.mp/p2x80R #
Time for UK media organisations to use some lobbying muscle http://j.mp/oK0Lmj #
Graphic: How Apple changed phone design, except with RIM http://j.mp/pexxF2 – nail on the head and/or in coffin? #
Guardian Shorts: new ebook series from @guardian, detailed guides on news stories, public policy, sports, cultural events http://j.mp/pCeNtN #
Why Apple will produce iBooks/Newsstand for Mac http://j.mp/r7Vg56 #
Australian TV network uses Google+ hangouts to take viewers behind the scenes http://j.mp/pPbTqm #
BBC's live updates of attacks on Norway http://j.mp/qrqv8v – Worlde comparison of 22-23/7 live reporting, by Daniel Bennett #
Weblog Tools Collection: How WordPress Beat Joomla! http://j.mp/nE2sNy #
Let's hope so!! RT @guardian: The death of Web 2.0 is nigh http://gu.com/p/3x2kc/tf (via @ObsNewReview) #
How Visa Plans To Dominate Mobile Payments, Create The Digital Wallet And More http://j.mp/rp3R3B #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-08-01

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

MA Journalism scholarships @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/oAeZHX – 4 x £1k, three different journalism MAs eligible, deadline 15 August 2011 #
Master's degrees @BournemouthUni: MA International Journalism // MA Journalism and New Media // MA Multi-Media Journalism http://j.mp/oorxLa #
Former EMI boss says Limewire users were major iTunes customers http://j.mp/pnGQao #
Twitter blurs content ownership lines for BBC journalist http://j.mp/pbZWCK – Laura Kuenssberg leaves for ITV with 60k followers #
News Overload: an abundance of events or of coverage? http://j.mp/pmjG2N #
The 10 best newspaper scoops http://j.mp/nmCWyb – according to Peter Preston #
A Brief History of Apple Not Buying Things http://j.mp/nKPipy #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-07-25

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Scientific study shows internet use changes human memory http://j.mp/ro6no0 #
Retraction and transparency online news style: A Sobering Look At Apple http://j.mp/rl16Ns – well worth checking out! #
Senior Lecturer in Television Journalism MED367 @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/rp6bV2 – another vacancy in the Media School! #
Lecturer in Communication and Media MED361 @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/irws9K #
Senior Lecturer in Journalism MED363 @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/kM9LD3 #
News, the Internet and #ArabSpring – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://t.co/FRtT9HK – deadline 31st July! #
#BUdigihub about to start, should be exciting day! http://t.co/FXGCexY #
#BUDigiHub officially kicked off! They are going for the casual approach with comfy sofas… http://t.co/nNCohUJ #
#BUdigiHub @VCJohnVinney just gave elaborate introduction of @tiffanystjames – she claims not to sleep much! #
#BUdigiHub @tiffanystjames highlighting importance of infographics to convey complex information about digital society. Couldn't agree more! #
@andrew_chadwick @chrislowis @jonhickman thanks for RTing the studentship announcement! #
@jonhickman been very impressed by both number and quality of applicants so far! #
Facebook Is Getting Into the News Business http://j.mp/oGIjoE #
Taking long time to digest pain of tragic events in Norway. Proud to see victims/national response. Appalled by foreign media during event. #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-07-18

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Guardian iPad app coming soon, not simply replicating newspaper design, will have single daily edition curated for iPad http://j.mp/nZQGLc #
Media School Scholarships @BournemouthUni for overseas students: 20 x £1k postgrad scholarships available for 2011 entry http://j.mp/roYtNH #
Political history of Africa since 1900 – great interactive map from @guardian http://j.mp/oDXqba #
@MarkForster87 and good luck in your career! Keep in touch in reply to MarkForster87 #
Heading to Istanbul for #IAMCR tomorrow – Which book to read on travels: The Cellist of Sarajevo (Galloway) or One Man's bible (Xingjian)? #
@yorkhannah you can tweet by text though in reply to yorkhannah #
Just finished our #iamcr paper on WikiLeaks in Crisis Comm section. Now sweltering outside – at least it will be winter in Durban 2012 #
@Loumat33 LOL! Ouch, yes, definitely in Istanbul. Toxic politics of geolocation! in reply to Loumat33 #
@Chindu yep, couple of good questions, but session running late, so had to wrap up. Good to hear prep going well! in reply to Chindu #
@yorkhannah @miskellaneous from Twitter website: UK : +447624800379 (Subscribers may be charged international messages rates) #iamcr in reply to yorkhannah #
@yorkhannah @miskellaneous FAQ: http://t.co/wSPXC5l in reply to yorkhannah #
Rebekah Brooks resignation: key quotes http://gu.com/p/3vt2t/tf #
Back to back special sessions on #WikiLeaks about to start at #iamcr http://t.co/fbafDKy #
For #IAMCR people interested in #WikiLeaks it is also being discussed at Responding to Extremisms conference – follow @CERB_WS #CERBConf #
@yenzarate Good to hear from you! Unfortunately I'm not at that session, but follow tag to see if others update on it. in reply to yenzarate #
Video contribution from @gregmitch kicking off #iamcr #WikiLeaks special session, talking gatekeepers and mainstream media partnerships. #
@Kim_Bruning will try to tweet anything new in reply to Kim_Bruning #
Next up is @lisallynch – her article in Journalism Practise was copy edited by Julian Assange apparently #iamcr #Wikileaks #
Shift in #Wikileaks self-definition discussed by @lisallynch – two binaries: journalist or source, journalist or political actor #iamcr #
Ambitious diagram from @lisallynch to describe competing definitions of #Wikileaks #IAMCR http://t.co/WdtMmHv #
Now Bart Cammaerts from LSE on #Wikileaks as Information and communication resistance #IAMCR #
@pmmcc no probs in reply to pmmcc #
Cammaerts says #Wikileaks has become gatekeepers as opposed to gate openers they aspired to be, talks of activist technology #IAMCR #
Cammaerts: comms resistance not structural, websites attacked only down for short periods, disruptions = spectacle #wikileaks #iamcr #
Now @biellacoleman on the politics of hacking in the age of information, looking at #anonymous #wikileaks #iamcr #
Are DDOS a legitimate form of civil disobedience? asks @biellacoleman and says it is direct action and mass protest #IAMCR #wikileaks #
Now Hopeton Dunn on #wikileaks and conjoint approaches to political exposure #IAMCR #
Now Ibrahim Saleh on #WikiLeaks in North Africa and Middle East, sadly @ASE of @AJStream is unable to join #IAMCR via Skype #
Saleh says Movement for workers' rights is real pillar of change in #mena and #wikileaks is just catalyst #iamcr #
Stuart Allan just pointed out no one discussed #wikileaks as citizen journalism in last session, only dichotomy of journalism or not #iamcr #
Second special session at #iamcr – the significance of #wikileaks law, society, politics http://t.co/dAf3Wm6 #
And Assange's pre-WL writing – promising! RT: @tedmitew: Sandra Braman brings in network theory with regards to #wikileaks – finally! #iamcr #
Now John Downing on #WikiLeaks and alternative media #iamcr #
Now Peter Jacobsson on #WikiLeaks and Swedish law #iamcr #
Jacobsson: Tradition of freedom of speech in Sweden dates back to 1776 #wikileaks #iamcr #
Jacobsson: Legal system criminalises several speech acts, but very bureaucratic system makes it difficult to prosecute #wikileaks #iamcr #
Jacobsson: unique legal component: only one person can be held legally responsible for any publication, protects sources #iamcr #wikileaks #
Jacobsson: Biggest enemy to #WikiLeaks sources is #WikiLeaks themselves, not Swedish law #iamcr #
Now Stefania Milan on #WikiLeaks from the hacktivist perspective #iamcr #
@Kim_Bruning it does not distinguish between roles of publisher and sources as Swedish constitution, extreme transparency issue, I think in reply to Kim_Bruning #
@Kim_Bruning but this was him speaking hypothetically in reply to Kim_Bruning #
Now Paschal Preston on #WikiLeaks and the practice of journalism #iamcr #
Preston: Trad model of journalism in crisis, amplified by current financial crisis and financing of journalism #wikileaks #iamcr #
Preston: challenges of #wikileaks and #wappingleaks for journalism, must look beyond technological, highlights hidden rules #iamcr #
For #iamcr RT: @CERB_WS: #WikiLeaks Freedom of Information, and National Security. Valentina Soria at #CERBConf (audio) http://t.co/ywSuMQS #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-07-11

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Attending #meccsapgn @BournemouthUni today / tomorrow to hear some excellent postgraduate research! #
If you are a postgraduate student or supervisor, please complete this survey about peer support networks http://j.mp/jnpbuu #meccsapgn #
Fox News Twitter Account Hijacked, President Obama Declared Dead http://j.mp/kMIZsr #
Crowdfunding in Spanish journalism: 5×55 Terrassa http://j.mp/mh5wK7 #
Skype comes to Facebook, and Facebook comes to Skype http://j.mp/rmTzZL – perhaps why Microsoft paid $8.5bn for Skype in May 2011? #
Great initiative: RT @rajunarisetti: How Do You Save a Dying Language? Crowdsource It http://t.co/MCd109M @GOOD via @geniusrocket #
Murdoch officially confirms closure of News of the World, despite making £800 million in 2011! Ouch – didn't see that one coming! #
#NOTW closure strategic move, journalists apply for new posts (eg. Sunday Sun), Murdoch filters anyone involved without sacking/fingering. #
@shaundowey awesome! in reply to shaundowey #
Another Digital Twist to the NWS Drama: A Tell-All Blog By Ex-NOTW Journos http://j.mp/pPsmAh #
Ten ways journalists can use Google+ http://j.mp/o8ZBco #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-07-04

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Bournemouth University Hostile Environment Training http://j.mp/jsQ8vl #
Twitter For Newsrooms!? Twitter *Is* A Newsroom http://j.mp/jWpNTQ #
My paper on the BBC and routinisation of audience participation accepted for PSA Media & Politics Annual Conference http://j.mp/jHu4aX #
Change Happens Everywhere; Activists Need to Think it Through http://j.mp/iVtEN5 #
Detroit project seeks to link journalism and civic engagement http://j.mp/irtoo7 #
Getting a journalism degree, getting a journalism job http://j.mp/maRxdQ #
CBBC Newsround site relaunched, explanations from deputy editor of Newsround: http://j.mp/jk2bOJ & its product manager: http://j.mp/kAOSY0 #
Getting ready for picket duty @UCUBU – please support #j30 #j30strike #pensions @ucu #
Metrics for civic impacts of journalism http://j.mp/l2O2Oc #
Business first, students second: the future of English higher education? http://j.mp/lBjBrZ #
News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v – please RT! #
If you wish to discuss News Reporting of the #ArabSpring PhD studentship (http://j.mp/jVA86v), please get in touch with me via DM or email. #
@AJStream News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@mohamed News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@chrishams News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@kjmarsh News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@mattsays News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@reuters_co_uk News Reporting of #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@journalismnews News Reporting of #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@peteclifton News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@PeterHorrocks1 News Reporting of #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
@BBCSteveH News Reporting of the #ArabSpring by #aljazeera #bbc #reuters – fully funded PhD studentship @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/jVA86v #
List of all fully-funded PhD studentship projects @BournemouthUni http://j.mp/kvTOZy #
@Bjoern_Buss thanks for RT! in reply to Bjoern_Buss #
@luissantos thanks for mention! in reply to luissantos #
@mohamed my research focus is online journalism, eg. citizen journalism, civic media, public service (BBC), WikiNews, WikiLeaks, politics. in reply to mohamed #
@mohamed details about my research here: http://j.mp/jTiwRp publications: http://j.mp/m94m49 and conference papers: http://j.mp/jeHxsy in reply to mohamed #
@mohamed PDF with full project description for Arab Spring project: http://j.mp/mey2ZF in reply to mohamed #
@mohamed I will let you know how we get on with recruitment for PhD, but do pass message on to anyone you think might be interested. in reply to mohamed #
Brazilian Blogger Assasinated: This Week in Online Tyranny http://j.mp/lGCEf5 #
Kenya: I was told that I deserved to die – for being a female journalist, by Fatuma Noor http://gu.com/p/3va4d/ip – very powerful account. #
Inside Google+ — How the Search Giant Plans to Go Social http://j.mp/jOF12a – lengthy history, worth a read. #
Google’s Six-Front War http://j.mp/is7EjS #
@peastonprice Yeah! What a blast. I'm still waiting for some of the decent collaborative features to make their way to Google Docs. in reply to peastonprice #

PhD Studentship: News, the Internet and the Arab Spring

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

Bournemouth University has just announced a series of fully-funded PhD scholarships.

One of the projects that has been awarded funding will be under my supervision, entitled: “News, the Internet and Political Protest: Al-Jazeera, BBC and Reuters Reporting of the Arab Spring and its Aftermath”

Continue reading →

Using WordPress as a news website v2 (list of 32 useful plugins)

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Einar Thorsen

William Davis and Lauren Rabaino’s posts about how Bangor Daily News adopted WordPress (and indeed Google Docs*) as part of their publishing workflow (it even feeds InDesign) has inspired me to revisit my own post about using WordPress as a news website. That was a slightly crude list of plugins that might be useful in adding functionality to WordPress required to implement important features for journalism and effective newsroom routines.

We are currently embarking on a redevelopment of a news website for our postgraduate journalism programmes at Bournemouth University, so I welcome any thoughts and suggestions on experiences with the below plugins – or indeed how you have implemented WordPress as a news website in your organisation.

* I remain unconvinced by using Google Docs as part of an online news workflow since it removes the writing process from the hypertext environment of the story (read: digital storytelling). There are other benefits, for sure, including better ability for real-time collaboration and subediting, but I’m not certain those outweigh the negatives.