The future of journalism is being shaped by rapid technological change, evolving audience expectations, and a growing need for trust and transparency. At Tickaroo, we believe that supporting journalism means more than building tools - it means actively contributing to a resilient, inclusive, and forward-thinking media landscape.
In this blog post, we look at why live reporting is a valuable skill for early-career reporters - and how we are working to support and empower the next generation of journalists.
Live blogging is an increasingly essential skill for starting journalists as it sits at the intersection of speed, accuracy, audience engagement, and digital storytelling - all crucial elements of modern journalism.
The need to report on stories as they unfold helps early-career reporters develop key skills: quickly prioritizing and verifying information, adapting to fast-changing situations, and connecting with audiences in real-time. Recognizing this, the University of Sheffield has integrated live blogging - using Tickaroo’s tool - into their journalism curriculum.
“Live blogging is a crucial skill for modern journalists in today’s fast-paced media landscape. We were very keen to integrate it into our curriculum to teach our students to report quickly and accurately under pressure while creating engaging, interactive content,”
- Emma Oliver, lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication
Liveblogging isn't just a practical skill - it’s also aligned with how younger audiences consume news. According to Next Gen News: Understanding the Audiences of 2030, a report by FT Strategies and Knight Lab, younger readers increasingly prefer multimedia formats like video, audio, and imagery. They respond to dynamic, interactive storytelling and socially-native formats like carousels, memes, and user-generated content - all of which live blogs excel at delivering.
Tickaroo Live Blog puts storytelling and real-time reporting within reach for everyone. Even without prior experience in live coverage, journalists can get started quickly. Both the desktop and mobile versions offer a professional-grade, no-code interface that lowers the barrier to entry - making it easy for reporters of all experience levels to jump into live blogging right away.
"The technology just works. The apps are easy to use so the editors in the newsroom just have to focus on storytelling."
- David Hagenbaeumer, former Digital Lead at Freie Presse
As a company providing liveblogging solutions to newsrooms around the world, we see first-hand how fast the industry is evolving. That’s why we are committed to supporting journalism education and empowering the next generation of reporters with the tools, training, and confidence they need to thrive in a digital-first environment.
Among the initiatives we are proud to support are the University of Central Lancashire's Journalism Innovation and Leadership Programme, which offers postgraduate courses for media professionals, as well as educational programs at the University of Northampton and the University of Sheffield.
“As liveblogging continues to grow in importance, our partnership ensures that students are well-equipped to thrive in the evolving media landscape and drive the industry forward. We can’t wait to see the results.”
- Naomi Owusu, Co-Founder and CEO at Tickaroo, about the partnership with the University of Sheffield
Students have had the opportunity to develop and refine their live reporting skills through hands-on use of Tickaroo Live Blog. At the University of Northampton, students covered the 2024 US Elections in real-time using a live blog integrated directly into the university’s website. Their coverage included dynamic content like social media embeds and video to engage readers.
Students from both Northampton and Sheffield also liveblogged the Newsrewired conference by Journalism.co.uk in recent years - gaining firsthand experience in covering events as they happen.
“Tickaroo’s tools and features have really allowed our students to express creativity within their work. The platform is so versatile and easy to use, allowing them to replicate real-time updates but also to think about how to engage an audience through the use of various forms of multimedia. It has provided an invaluable learning experience,”
- Emma Oliver, lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication.
These practical experiences demonstrated how an easy-to-use live blogging tool can support fast, accurate reporting while enabling the use of interactive and multimedia elements to enhance audience engagement.
We’re building tools to make live reporting easier, smarter, and more impactful - but real change starts with listening.
If you're a journalism student or early-career reporter, we want to hear from you. What challenges are you facing? What skills or support do you wish you had? And what kind of media future do you want to help create?
📝 Fill out this short survey and share your perspective. Your insights will help highlight what the next generation of journalists truly needs - to grow, to lead, and to make a difference.
Live blogging isn't just a format - it’s a training ground for core journalism skills in a digital-first world. It helps early-career journalists learn how to move fast, think critically, connect with audiences, and thrive in modern newsrooms.
At Tickaroo, we’re proud to support the future of journalism - whether through partnerships with universities or by backing industry initiatives. If you have an idea or would like to collaborate with us in this mission, we’d love to hear from you!