Link to podcast blog

http://archivingtherebellion.blogspot.com/

Recording app

I'm using the following app to record my podcast:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hiqrecorder.full

Banner and podcast logo

Pictures

https://goo.gl/photos/rKPMyQaB3quV4h639

Recording equipment

I was fortunate enough to be offered a recording booth to record my podcasts but I've been sick the past few weeks so I've ended up investing (may be exaggerating there) in the below microphone but it turned out that it wouldn't work with my computer. So that was a bit disappointing...

Bought here

Source reading materials

It will be interesting to try and read through all these. Hopefully I can get through them before I have final podcast notes written.
I want have more than just the internet and newspaper archives to rely on for sources.

Tuesday 25th- Myself and my bike took the train to Thurles and I got roughly 3 hours to go through the archives of The Nationalist held in "The Source" library. Instead of printing anything today, I went through as many editions of the paper to identify what pages I needed to print out. It took me longer than I anticipated to get through these dates as I'll admit - I got distracted reading some of the different articles shown that were unrelated to the Sologeadbeg incident. As a result - I think these stories will end up in the podcasts as context for what else was happening during this time in Tipperary and Ireland.

Wednesday 26th- Fuelled by coffed, I arrived at the archives between 9.30am to 10am and stayed working until they closed for lunchtime at 1pm (then cycled back to the train station to find that although I had booked a bike slot on the train there were no bike racks).

From using the microfilm reader, I got the idea to use the sound effects of the machine in the podcast (or in an advert for the podcast) so I filmed a short piece of the sounds the machine makes. If I can clean up the sound I'll use this but most likely I can find sound effects already uploaded online.

I printed out approximately 20 A3 sheets from the archives that I needed a clear visual of.

I also used my phone to take photographs of "fillers". These comprise of different pieces from different dates that are not necessarily relevant to the War of Independence but are nice insights into what journalists felt were just as relevant or more important than the events of the War of Independence. The printouts should have cost around €15 but they were very kind and charged me €10.

When I asked if there was any intention of archiving these papers, I was advised that plans had been made before but that an agreement could not be made with the owner of the paper (who also owns the Tipperary Star which I have previous archive prints of).

Findings: I wish I had been more prepared than I was! I thought I knew what dates I wanted to print but when you actually look at the archives, you find small tidbits that you wouldn't expect to find and certain events that aren't mentioned as significant in small articles that I would find interesting. As a result, I am happy with the information I have. I have fewer dates than I would have wanted but I'm happier with the depth of content I have for the dates investigated.

Assignment 2

Media Project 3 2016

Assignment 2

Student Name:	Fiona Kennedy
Company Name:	The Nationalist
Company Description:	The Nationalist is a South Tipperary focused newspaper located in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The newspaper has been in print for over 125 years, covering local news, sport, opinion and features. They also have a sister title, South Tipp Today. They report local news across all platforms - print, online and social media.
Company Address:	The Nationalist Queen Street Clonmel Co Tipperary
Company Url:	http://www.nationalist.ie/

Project Description Describe in as much detail as needed the digital media artefact that you propose to create (approx. 150 (include images where appropriate))

2019 will be the centenary year for the War of Independence. Historians agree that the catalyst for the war started in Tipperary. As The Nationalist was an active paper at this time, I intend to read through their newspaper archives and condense the information into podcasts. These podcasts would be designed to immerse the listener into what it was like to living while these events unfolded originally. These podcasts would be supported by episode notes written in the style of a newspaper article and digital copies of the archives. Currently the newspaper archives are not easily accessible and written in a language that would not be that interesting. They are also difficult to read and I would intend to "clean" the newspaper scans so they are easier to read. These podcasts would be intended to be entertaining and encourage interest in local history. (see attached for example of old archive prints, cleaner scans are required)

How will the digital media piece you create benefit your chosen company/organisation (approx. 100)

As my work placement would be in 2018, this would be the perfect time for the paper to start building media up to commemorate the centenary year of The War of Independence. It would be a great way to put a spotlight on the newspaper's place within the Tipperary community and draw traffic towards their website. Their main revenue would currently be from their physical prints of the newspaper but this could draw in a younger readership who would have more interest in online media. These podcasts would also be unique in it's subject matter and would draw the attention of readers from outside the Tipperary area who are interested in Irish history.

How will the digital media piece you create enhance your chances of securing work placement with the company/organisation (approx. 100)

The newspaper does not currently produce any podcasts and I think they would be interested in expanding the forms of media they use for reporting local news and articles of interest. Their website currently exists purely for posting digital versions of the news that would make it into their physical newspaper. The pieces I am creating would be an example of the weekly content I could build up for the 2019 commemorations and shows my keen interest in the subject.

Work plan Briefly describe your key weekly activities and tasks

Week 6

I will be researching the dates of significant events in 1919 and make a list of what dates I need to get newspaper clippings from. Further contact needs to be made with Thurles library about any assistance they can give for gathering the information.

Week 7

I will be travelling to Thurles library to gather the newspaper clippings from the relevant dates determined in week 6. This research will be done on the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Week 8

Divide the information gathered into different categories based on what events they belong to and plot out podcasts. Fact checking and gathering back up sources should ideally be done also. Decision should be made at this stage whether I would be doing multiple short podcasts. Contact with anyone of relevance who could help with facts or stories of interest.

Week 9

Depending on length of podcast at least one podcast should be scripted, recorded and podcast notes/ article draft written. If short podcasts, aiming for a minimum of five.

Week 10

At least one podcast to be edited and publication ready along with the podcast episode notes. At this point should be asking someone for help with proofreading of written content.

Week 11

All scripts should be completed and recorded. Extra media to support podcasts should be in production by now (maps, videos) if not already completed. Review of original sources for any interesting information that did not make it into other stories. Further proofreading required and review any editing notes made.

Week 12

Final review of media for any glitches, equal quality across content. More proofreading.

Final 5

Fiona Kennedy

R00143137

fiona.kennedy@mycit.ie

Media Project 3

28th September 2016

Company #1

Who: The Nationalist

Location: Clonmel, Tipperary

What they do: The Nationalist is a South Tipperary focused newspaper located in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The newspaper has been in print for over 125 years,covering local news, sport, opinion and features. They also have a sister title, South Tipp Today. They report local news across all platforms - print, online and social media.

What I can offer: As they already appear to have a high quality modern website and online presence, I would need to be able to offer them something different to what they are currently already producing. When I was researching for a history project surrounding the Soloheadbeg Ambush in 1919, I had to travel to Thurles library as this was where the archives for The Nationalist were being held. There is an online archive of Irish newspapers and The Nationalist does not appear on this archive.

This gave me the idea to help the newspaper digitize their archives. As part of this process there are many possibilities of side projects. For example, previous articles could be reprinted/ summarised in new articles for the current newspaper. Dependant on my coding skills, as well as digitizing the archives, an interactive webpage or interface could be created around accessing the archives and the user could ‘experience history as it happened’. Mini documentaries in the form of podcasts could be created based on the information gathered from the archiving process.

Suitability: I have previous working experience with the editor of the newspaper and she has a good opinion of my work ethic. This would give me a strong chance of getting a placement with them. My homeplace is not far from Clonmel so I could feasibly work in Clonmel for the six month placement by living there. Ideally I would be looking for a placement that would give some form of financial support as I live independently. The paper is a big enough company that I think they would be able to cover at least small expenses for me and I am also receiving the grant.

Company #2

Who: Waterford News and Star

Location: Waterford City, Co. Waterford

What they do: The Waterford News & Star is Waterford’s biggest selling local newspaper. Published weekly, the News & Star publishes a mix of local news, features and sport. The paper provides the most extensive news coverage in Waterford and their sports coverage is the most comprehensive in Waterford.

What I can offer: Waterford News and Star seem to have the same issues as the Nationalist in that they do not appear to have a digitized online archive and you have to go to Waterford Municipal Library to access old editions. I think I could do a similar project for this paper in digitizing the archive but creating a more sports focused interactive experience. I previously worked with them, and they had an article for "On This Day" showing what was previously printed in the newspaper in previous years. As part of the research for this piece, it would be easy to start the digitising process.

Suitability: I am from Waterford and would not have many issues with commuting to Waterford to work there. The library is extremely close to the newspaper offices so I would not have to travel far for the archives. As I had a work placement there years ago, they may be willing to take me on. They were very enthusiastic and were really interested in giving me experience across all parts of the newspaper, from reporting straight through to the editing the layout of the newspaper.

Company #3

Who: OnTheQT Blog

Location: Cork city, Co. Cork

What they do: OnTheQT is a travel blog that focuses on obscure or off the beaten track tourist attractions that are not well known. The blog is more interested in showing a tourist the experience of a scenic walk or local 'hidden gem' shops rather than your typical group tour of well known landmarks. The blog uses their own created media, mainly photographs but also uses videos and appears to be interested in expanding that part of their digital content. The blog has two main contributors.

What I can offer: I've recently gotten into cycling and exploring the local cycle routes in Cork so I could do some pieces on this and exploring the options around Ireland for local bike hires etc. The main blog writer is interested in watersports so she might be enthusiastic in having a new contributor for tourist cycling activities. They are interested in all forms of digital media so I can contribute across all facets of the blog

Suitability:The blog writers are based in the Cork city area so I would be able to work with them in their office. As it is a small operation, I would benefit more from one on one mentoring and given more responsibilities and experiences than with a big corporation company.

Company #4

Who: County Council/ County Library

Location: Waterford/ Cork/ Tipperary etc

What they do: The local authorities cover a broad spectrum of areas. The main area I’m interested in are the county libraries. When researching what newspaper archives are online I discovered that Waterford County Council had digitised three local newspaper archives and they were available through the County Council website

What I can offer: A County Council may be willing to commission the digitization of further newspaper archives and may be interested in creating an interactive interface for users to access local history in a way that makes the experience fun and exciting. As I live in Cork, Cork would be the priority county I would focus on pitching this to. With the 100 year anniversary of the War of Independence coming up within 2 years of when my placement would start, it would be a good time to start generating digital media about Cork’s involvement in the war. Whether that be through easier access to digital archives of articles during that time, video/ radio documentaries based on these archives etc.

Suitability: This is a position I am practically creating for myself and there may not be a specific office or department for me to work with that would have people working in a multimedia role for me to be mentored by. So yes I may create great media for my portfolio but might not grow as many skills with a county council than I would with a digital media company.

Company #5

Who: Newsweaver

Location: Cork and other global location

What they do: Newsweaver covers a multitude of outsourcing different media processes to large and small companies internationally. They create internal email systems which includes ensuring the emails are of high quality that are “visually impactful, with content that is more personalised, relevant and interactive”. Their systems provide communicators with insights to improve results, deliver better outcomes and prove value to organisation.

What I can offer: Newsweaver covers many different outsourcing possibilities to companies and deal with creating better interfaces for internal email systems. This company is very different to the other options I included. If I were to work with them, the work would be more based around coding and interface design. I have previous experience in user testing of a SAP CRM7 interface which included an emailing system and could bring the experience of this to the company.

Suitability: The main reason I included this company in the list is that it would be the most likely to offer a paid work placement. I need to be realistic about my budget and they would be an excellent company to work for.

Option 4: County Council

While trying to locate historical newspaper archives I noticed that Waterford County Council's website give access to the historical archives of three local papers .

This gave me the idea that a county council may be willing to commission the digitization of further newspaper archives and may be interested in creating an interactive interface for users to access local history in a way that makes the experience fun and exciting.

I'm not sure if a council would be interested in podcasts but I think that an interactive experience of the local archives is something they would go for. The only downside of this is that this is a position I am practically creating for myself and there may not be a specific office or department for me to work with that would have people working in a multimedia role for me to be mentored by. So yes I may create great media for my portfolio but might not grow as many skills with a county council than I would with a digital media company.

Option 3: On the QT blog

OnTheQT is a travel blog that focuses on obscure or off the beaten track tourist attractions that are not well known. The blog is more interested in showing a tourist the experience of a scenic walk or local 'hidden gem' shops rather than your typical group tour of well known landmarks.
The blog uses their own created media, mainly photographs but also uses videos and appears to be interested in expanding that part of their digital content. The blog has two main contributors.
I've recently gotten into cycling and exploring the local cycle routes in Cork so I could do some pieces on this and exploring the options around Ireland for local bike hires etc.
The main blog writer is interested in water sports so she might be enthusiastic in having a new contributor for cycling tourist activities. The blog writers are based in the Cork city area so I would be able to work with them in their office. As it is a small operation, I would benefit more from one on one mentoring and given more responsibilities and experiences than with a big corporation company.

Option 2: Waterford News and Star

I have previous work experience with Waterford News and Star.

Waterford News and Star seem to have the same issues as the Nationalist in that they do not appear to have a digitized online archive and you have to go to Waterford Municipal Library to access old editions.
When I previously worked with them, they had an article for "On This Day" showing what was previously printed in the newspaper in previous years. As part of the research for this piece, it would be easy to start the digitising process.

I myself am from WAterford so it would not be a burden for me to work in Waterford.

Option 1: The Nationalist Newspaper

The Nationalist is a South Tipperary focused newspaper located in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The newspaper has been in print for over 125 years,covering local news, sport, opinion and features.

They also have a sister title, South Tipp Today. They report local news across all platforms - print, online and social media.

As they already appear to have a high quality modern website and online presence, I would need to be able to offer them something different to what they are currently already doing.

When I was researching for a history project surrounding the Soloheadbeg Ambush in 1919, I had to travel to Thurles library as this was where the archives for The Nationalist were being held.

There is an online archive of Irish newspapers and the Nationalist does not appear on this archive.

This gave me the idea to help the newspaper digitize their archives. As part of this process there are many possibilities of side projects. For example, previous articles could be reprinted/ summarised in new articles for the current newspaper. Dependant on my coding skills, as well as digitizing the archives, an interactive webpage or interface could be created around accessing the archives. Mini documentaries in the form of podcasts could be created based on the information gathered from the archiving process.

The newspaper is based in Clonmel which is a 20 minute drive from my original home and I have previous working experience with the editor so I believe I have a good chance of getting a placement - the issue is making sure that the placement would utilise my multimedia skills.

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Brainstorming