Not only have the Liverpool Post been using Cover It Live to talk to readers and web types about what is going on in the office, the decisions they’ve made – they’re also using it to break news.
1:40
Rob Merrick – Here at Westminster, I am getting over the disappointment of the Chancellor of the Exchequer cancelling his lunch with me (and a number of other reporters) in a last-gasp, panic-stricken bid to save the Crewe by-election for Labour! I jest not. The lunch was mysteriously pulled yesterday – only for the reason to be revealed this morning……Alistair Darling will make a statement to MPs on how he will compensate the 5.3 million losers from the 10p tax rate fiasco, something he clearly feels he needs to do to prop up the Labour vote in Crewe and Nantwich, where the by-election is just nine days away. All eyes will be on Gordon Brown’s Public Enemy Number One – Birkenhead MP Frank Field. Will Mr Field accept the deal – or threaten a fresh revolt? Find out after 3.30pm.3:50
Rob Merrick – The Chancellor has made his 10p statement – and swallowed a stomach-churning portion of humble pie by promising everybody a tax cut to compensate the 10p losers – somthing he specifically ruled out three weeks ago. The power of Frank Field!! And of the opinion polls in Crewe and Nantwich!!!3:59
Rob Merrick -
It’s official – the 10p revolt is over. The leading rebel – our own Frank Field – just congratulated the Chancellor for “putting an end to this issue”. Then, turning to Gordon Brown, he said “I apologise without reservation” for his weekend comments (ie. the PM is “unhappy”, “tragic” and should consider quitting before the next election). That will surely end this Brown/Field feud – after all, the PM is not one to bear a grudge, is he? (ahem)
A fascinating look at what can be done with tools like this. Certainly makes me think of the things outlined by Paul Bradshaw in his theory of the News Diamond, which shows how Web 2.0 services can be used to break the news before going on to do the high-quality follow-up in the paper.
Just asked Deputy editor Alison Gow what she thought so far (and there’s still loads more to come):
This is fun but demanding – reporters have really taken to it. And the political reporter even broke the 10p tax story on the live blog!
Going to take a bit of sorting out before the Post can decide how much of an everyday thing these tools become, but will be interesting.
I think these guys are in for some serious interest over coming days – according to their live blog the Guardian have already been in touch.
UPDATED Jemima Kiss, one of their technology reporters has been seen in the live blog. She’s also been saying what the Guardian are up to. And Laura Oliver from journalism.co.uk has just twittered she is watching the conference.
What is interesting is there was a comment about how it was impossible to tell who was a journalist or a reader of the paper (or an interested journo trainer in my case).
Good work, keep it up!
