Multimedia and Interactivity

1. Mindy McAdams Multimedia and Interactivity

2. Multimedia and interactivity How is online journalism different? Image: Map of broadcast content flows that mention “bin Laden,” January 1979–April 2011

3. Definitions • Multimedia • Combinations of media: More than what was possible on a single platform from the past • Print platform = text + photos (not multimedia) • TV platform = video + audio (not multimedia) • Interactivity • The viewers or readers can interact with the material • Not just by clicking links (that is not interactive)

4. Example 1: “I Hope So Too” http://www.nytimes.com/

5. Listen, pause … agree?

6. What do people think? If you click the button labeled “By Popularity,” you can see what others chose. If you do not see the button labeled “By Popularity,” click the link to go “Back to All,” shown at right.

7. View hopes “by popularity”

8. http://bit.ly/mmyogya

9. Example 2: Los Angeles Homicides http://projects.latimes.com/homicide/map/

10. Details about each victim

11. A bigger, different story

12. Localizing the story

13. Example 3: Radio pictures http://www.npr.org/

14. Example 3: Radio pictures

15. Radio you can read

16. Big photos, slideshow format

17. Reaching out and linking

18. Example 4: Oil spill map http://www.usatoday.com/

19. Telling a story visually http://www.usatoday.com/

20. Example 5: Plane crash in river http://www.nytimes.com/

21. Animation shows the story http://www.nytimes.com/

22. Comparison (Example 6) http://www.nytimes.com/ This New York Times video tells the story of the same plane crash.

23. Comparison (Example 6) http://www.nytimes.com/ This New York Times video tells the story of the same plane crash.

24. http://bit.ly/mmyogya

25. New ways to tell stories Digital media open new possibilities for journalism

26. Thinking outside the box • Traditional “hard news” is short, simple, temporary • Journalism is more than only “hard news” • Serious and important topics: Not short, not simple, not temporary • Online, a story can be so much bigger • Tell all the parts, all the sides • Continue over weeks and months • Link all the players, all the aspects

27. Case study: “Empty Cradles” • Topic: Infant mortality • Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA • Reason: Too many babies were dying there The daily newspaper in Milwaukee reported on this crisis for a full year (2011). All the articles, photos, charts, etc., were linked to one another on the newspaper’s website.

28. Journal Sentinel newspaper, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA – “Empty Cradles,” 2011

29. Baby Aameira was born prematurely at 25 weeks (normal time would be 37 to 40 weeks). Age 7 months: Aameira is healthy and doing well.

30. “The Journal Sentinel this year is taking on an issue we have too long ignored — the death of children before their first birthday. Infant mortality is a crisis not just of public health, but of ethics and morality. The rate at which infants die in our city is unacceptable. In today’s newspaper and online, we focus on why past efforts here have not worked and what has worked elsewhere.” —Martin Kaiser, editor

36. “We wrestled with what our role is in addressing this problem. “And we decided it was simple: Be journalists. “That is, ask hard questions, provide good information, get it to the right audience. Be skeptical when needed and empathetic when needed. Use the platform we have to make a difference.” —Greg Borowski, senior editor for projects

37. How online journalists work What are the new skills for journalists?

38. What all journalists do • Gather / Mengumpulkan • Select / Memilih • Produce / Memproduksi • Distribute / Mendistribusikan • Interpret / Menafsirkan

39. What all journalists do • Gather (observe, seek, interview) • Select (choose, sort, discard) • Produce (write, edit, process) • Distribute (publish, broadcast, upload) • Interpret (analyze, discuss, comment)

40. Mediums for journalism • Photographs • Audio • Video • Information graphics and maps • Animation • Text

41. Missing skills? • Photojournalism • Audio gathering & editing • Video (shooting & editing) • Data journalism • Graphics • Computer programming • Information design

42. Example 1: “I Hope So Too” http://www.nytimes.com/ Skills: Audio gathering + editing, photos Database Programming/Flash Graphic design Number of people: 4 (plus reporters)

43. Example 2: Los Angeles Homicides http://projects.latimes.com/homicide/map/ Skills: Maps Database Programming Graphic design Number of people: 9 (plus reporters)

44. Example 3: Radio pictures http://www.npr.org/ Skills: Audio/radio reporting Photojournalism Maps Graphic design/Flash People: 3 producers 3 editors 1 designer/programmer 1 reporter 1 photojournalist

45. Example 4: Oil spill map http://www.usatoday.com/ Skills: Maps Animation/Flash Number of people: 2

46. Example 5: Plane crash in river http://www.nytimes.com/ Skills: Maps Animation/Flash Number of people: 5

47. Example 6: Plane crash video http://www.nytimes.com/ Skills: Video shooting Video editing Maps/animation Narration Number of people: 5

48. New ways to tell stories.

49. New ways to tell stories. New ways to make a difference.