Al Jazeera @ mobileactive08 (2008)

Safdar MustafaHead of Mobile Media Unitsafdar.mustafa@aljazeera.net

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*interbrand

TV Quality Video

5 mega pixel camera

High Speed Data

Integrated GPS

Small & Always with you

Non-intrusive

Not just a phone...

3 Key Features

= exciting possibilities for Reporters

+ +

Camera GPS Data

Mobile Trials

1. The Sahara Journey [Reporting from Mali & Niger]

2. Mobile Breaking News [The Chad Explosion]

The Sahara Journey

[The images you are about to see were taken on a Mobile Phone]

Equipping our Reporters

Nokia N95Location Tagger

Application

NokiaSportstrackerApplication

The Mobile Phone DOES NOT REPLACE

the usual broadcast equipment but rather compliments it

Why?

• Show the story, not just tell it (Maps with routes)

• More depth to stories possible

• High Quality images & GPS

• Works where there is no phone signal

• Standard inexpensive tools (Mobile Phones)

Then we took the data and told the story ‘visually’

with some ‘interactivity’

labs.aljazeera.net

The Chad Explosion!

• Al Jazeera Cameraman in Chad

• Video captured on his mobile phone

• Sent to newsroom from the mobile

• Breaking News report on-air

Al Jazeera’s Chad Report

The Idea

...to get Breaking News from the mobile to the newsroom as quickly as

possible

Tools Needed

1. Mobile Phone

2. AJ Reporter Application

Getting Data Home...

1. Using mobile network (GPRS / 3G / HSDPA) (depends which country)

2. WIFI (home / work / public)

3. Transfer to laptop

Challenges

• Phone Durability

• Network connection

• Training

Possible Use Cases

• Where usual camera is not there. e.g. left in hotel (the case with Chad)

• Where camera equipment cannot be taken

• Where a camera will be obtrusive

Questions?