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Facebook for journalists: recording audio interviews from new video chat feature

7/7/11
by Nicole Martinelli
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Facebook's new video chat feature left some journalists, like Al Jazeera correspondent Dima Khatib, underwhelmed. "If I have Skype why would I want to Skype on facebook?" she wondered on Twitter. (I also puzzled over the video launch: one of the first features I disabled in Facebook for the signal-to-noise ratio was the chat).

But it may be useful: as we reported in our tip sheet for reporters using Facebook, Laura Amico from Homicide Watch said that some of the victims’ families that she connects with prefer to talk with her via Facebook Chat instead of over the phone.

The video chat feature may give reporters a way to establish rapport and conduct interviews that might not be possible otherwise. Keep in mind that you can only call your Friends (another reason to establish a public page and a private profile).

Journalism.co.uk suggests using Audio Hijack Pro for Macs or one of these recorders for Windows. Once the recorder is installed and the Facebook video chat feature downloaded, then set the ‘default system input’ button in Audio Hijack and click record. You'll be able to view and edit the MP3 or AIFF file.

Via Journalism.co.uk

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I agree with Dima

Submitted by Anonymous on 7/7/11.

I totally agree with Dima Khatib.

I'm a huge fan of Skype which I frequently use to connect with people in other countries with my iPhone, iPad and my personal computer. However, I think adding Skype to Facebook is not a huge addition that's worth all the fuss it gained, simply because the technology already existed.

I actually disabled my chat box because with hundreds of followers on facebook, it gets really overwhelming to respond to all chat messages that sometimes come at once. Some people were offended when I did not have the time to respond to them. That's why I disabled it.

The other good point you mentioned here is that you can only call friends on facebook. As a journalist why would I want to create a page in order to log in to Facebook chat in order to use Skype? Why don't I just add the person I'm interviewing on my Skype friends list directly and make the call?

Bassam

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