Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an example of a fast-moving and high stakes news story, and one where disinformation is a clear risk. The team at The Guardian have spent years developing their strategy for live blogs, including the introduction of a filter to see only key events in a story.
The Guardian’s head of editorial innovation Chris Moran spoke to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism about the thinking that has shaped his team’s work on live-blogging, and some of the key lessons learned so far.
"The levels of audience that a news site deals with in this situation is a responsibility above anything else," says Moran.
This means that journalists and editors should focus on what the audience needs from their coverage, and what they are uniquely positioned to provide, even above short term business aims. He notes: "Some of the changes we’ve made, for example, could conceivably reduce time spent on a page or even reduce click-through rates. Making things more relevant or more accessible can reduce friction for a reader and make the experience better."
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