The Committee to Protect Journalists chronicles the plight of the 55 journalists it has helped flee their homelands in 2013. Nicole Schilit notes that most in such countries as Syria and Somalia were facing threats of violence, while journalists in Iran (particularly in the pre-election period) and other countries were facing prison. The survey only covers those CPJ directly supported; it observes there are many other cases worldwide. World Refugee Day was Thursday.
John Paton, the CEO of Digital Media, addressed the Global News Editors conference in Paris and said bad CEOs and editors are killing the future for journalists. He encouraged them to demand change and said that if their companies were not investing heavily in digital (and shedding legacy media costs), they should get out because their companies were dying. He argues that every dollar of profit today will be 56 cents of loss in five years if nothing is done. Heavy risk-taking is necessary, he said, as is sharing the rewards with those employees who take it. The past will not help the future; the future must be built.
Margaret Sullivan, The New York Times' public editor, looks at the Times' elimination of several blogs in recent weeks. As the news organization evolves, it is finding that some blogs don't hold the same purpose they once did as a bridge to the Web. It is opting to pull out of some fields, particularly those that resemble their section fronts on the Web, even if it risks or disappoints readership.
Instagram, the image-sharing service recently acquired by Facebook, introduced video-sharing Thursday in a clear gesture to undercut Vine, the Twitter-owned service that has so quickly gained popularity. The difference: Instagram's videos are 15 seconds long, compared to the six-second Vine videos. There are also video filters for effects. The Guardian reports on the initiative and Quartz notes it is no coincidence that Instagram videos are the same length as commercials --- it says Facebook is going to get us watching TV commercials again.