Multimedia Journalism

Overview of Internet Reporting and

Multimedia Storytelling

Sec. C1 - Jan. 26, 2009

Why are you here?

South Park ep. 12.06 – “Over Logging”

 Why are you here?
• You’re here because as journalists, you need to
know how to reach your audience.
• According to Pew, the internet has surpassed
newspapers as a leading source of news.
– 40 percent of people get most of their news from the
Web, which is up from 24 percent from 2007.
– Virtually every media sector apart from the internet is
slowly losing Americans’ attention
– A recent Pew survey says “Journalists are ready — even
eager — to embrace new technologies”!
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 1

• Choosing a story
– The best candidates for multimedia packages are:
• Multidimensional: Video, audio, infographics/charts, etc--
Interactive elements can all help enhance the story
• Nonlinear: Newspaper readership drops with each graf, so
why not let the audience jump around from tidbit to tidbit?
– As in print, multiple entry points are important.
– In a good package, there is no “first part” or “second
part”: Engage audiences by letting them look at
what’s most important to them first.
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 1

• Choosing a story – class discussion

– A journalist wants to travel all over the lower 48.
How do you make his road trip engaging?
– A year after the Viginia Tech shootings, you’re
asked to talk to survivors and people who knew
the dead. How do you tell their stories?
– Your organization is covering the ins-and-outs of
Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. There are lots
of details to share here, so how do you do it?
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 1

• Choosing a story
– Case study: Storm that Drowned a City
• Each feature covers a different aspect of Hurricane Katrina:
Users can choose the stories that interest them
• Nonlinear parts: The stories don’t depend on one another to
be understood, and neither do individual parts within the
stories. See “Anatomy of Katrina”
– Video, audio, images and graphics are used where necessary.
– Note: A long text piece is broken up into readable sections.
– Note: Nothing gets buried. Tabs and links are shortcuts.
• We won’t do anything this advanced, but you should study it. What
makes this effective? Which principles can you use?
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 2

• Creating a storyboard
– According to NewsU, you should fashion a storyboard of
multimedia possibilities before heading out into the field.
• Conduct preliminary interviews, get a basic idea of what to
expect in the field, look up anything your sources have
published in print or on the Web.
• Collect visuals -- photos, videos, maps and graphics -- from your
sources or from the Web to get an idea of potential story
components. Track down any previous stories on the topic --
print, video, radio or Web.
- Storm that Drowned a City resources page
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 2

• Creating a storyboard
– Define the elements: Divide the story up into
parts such as a nut graf explaining your focus,
background, information on people involved, etc.
• Are there compelling visuals?
• Is there a process involved that you can illustrate with
graphics? (How a hurricane forms, for example)
• Would a map be useful?
• Etc.
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 2

• Creating a storyboard
– Identify the media
• Video is best for showing action; it takes audiences to a place
central to the story.
• Audio: If it’s good, it adds to video and slideshows; if it’s bad,
it takes away. Audiences forgive bad video before they’ll
forgive bad audio.
• Text is good for binding a story together by offering
background information or any other details that
can’t/shouldn’t be conveyed through other media. (Example:
A video of New Orleans political history might not be as
effective or informative as an article.)
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 2

• Creating a storyboard
– Identify the media
• Photographs are the best media for displaying strong
emotion and keeping the mood.
– Video goes by quickly; photos illustrate the point of the story
– Add audio and you enhance the mood; make it panoramic
and you put the reader there..
• Graphics show how stuff works
– They can chart important figures, display abstract ideas
– Animate them and they can take you where cameras can’t go
(the eye of a hurricane, inside our cells, etc.)
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 2

• Creating a storyboard
– Identify the media
• Maps can show you important locations such as war zones, or
they can be coupled with other information such as
homicide statistics – keep this in mind for when we make
Google maps.
– Actually storyboard the concept now
• You’re working with a lot of media elements. The more
complicated your piece gets, the better off you’ll be sketching
out your different media and thinking about how users will
navigate through them.
– If you don’t, you’ll risk burying the media and confusing users.
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 3

• Reporting with multimedia

– You’re a multimedia journalist heading out into
the field for a big story that’ll utilize all of the
elements we just discussed. What do you think
you’ll need?
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 3

• Reporting with multimedia

– You’re a multimedia journalist heading out into the
field for a big story that’ll utilize all of the elements
we just discussed. What do you think you’ll need?
• Equipment can include: Batteries, cables, computer, audio
recorder, video and still cameras, microphones, memory
sticks and tapes, tripod, external hard drive, cell phone,
lenses, GPS, etc.
• You’re a multimedia journalist now, but don’t forget the
old school: Bring notebooks, writing utensils, your AP
stylebook, etc.
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 4

• Editing for the Web

– Video:
• Keep ‘em short—AJR reported in 2008 a survey showing
the average length of video elements on newspaper sites
being 2-3 minutes. (Editing can take 3-4 hours.)
• It’s a lot like television: Show talking heads for a few
seconds, then switch to "B-roll,” etc.
• Because the Web typically uses a low frame rate—
usually 15 fps rather than 30--avoid action shots with a
lot of movement or shots that capture nuance. They
usually display poorly on the Web.
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 4

• Editing for the Web

– Audio:
• Use only high-quality audio.
– One exception: Very old/historic recordings necessary to your
piece. Listen to examples from NOVA’s ”Forgotten Genius”
– Use subtitles with the audio if you have no other options or
to reinforce an important point.
– Avoid using background music for straight news pieces. Web
compression will already take away from your sound, and
music will make it worse.
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 4

• Editing for the Web

– Text:
• The comfort zone for print people--the medium they fall back
on when they're unsure what else to do
• Text is fine for headers, captions, a good nut graf, and
background, but be sure to supplement it with audio and/or
visuals if it makes sense.
– Remember how newspaper readership falls with each graf? By
shortening your text/breaking it up with other elements, you can keep
people interested.
– Text-only works best for political/economic stories, analysis, op-ed
pieces and short updates. (It wouldn’t kill you to throw in a photo,
though.)
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 4

• Editing for the Web

– Photos: The Web is a visual medium, so be sure to
include photos where possible.
• Use photos to replace 1,000 words. Images aren’t just
there to make things pretty—they help explain things.
• Photos can be used two ways:
– Individually, to set a mood
– In groups, to tell stories as with "slide shows.” (See how this
slide show takes a complicated topic and simplifies it with
pictures?)
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 4

• Editing for the Web

– Graphics: These aren’t just still images anymore.
• You can make graphics interactive (clickable maps,
navigable locations rendered in 3D, etc.).
• Creating your own interactivity takes time. Generally,
Flash animated graphics are the centerpiece (if not the
only part) of a story, whereas, a Google map usually
supplements a larger story.
– Think TimeSpace Inauguration Map versus typical map use
(where the map is just part of the story, used to illustrate
where something or things happened).
 Multimedia Storytelling in 5 Steps
step 5

• Producing the story

– Multimedia journalists have multiple editors:
• There are your actual editors, and then there are your
designers and Web developers. You can’t—and aren’t
usually expected to—do it all yourself (except in this class).
• Developers/designers fine-tune the layout, help with
technical glitches and make sure the presentation follows
the site's style.
• In a real-life scenario, you will probably have open
communication with these guys. They’ll often do as much
work as you, only without the byline—be nice.
 Eyetrack III
(Speaking of design…)

• News Web sites have been around since the

1990s, but how effective are their layouts?
• For Eyetrack III, Poynter recorded 46 people’s
eye movements as they observed different
site mockups.
 Eyetrack III
(Speaking of design…)

• The study shows that reading news on the

Web is different than with print.
– There are too many elements involved for us to go
Left-Right / Top-Bottom.
– On the Web, we generally start at the upper left
read down and end at the upper right.
Eyetrack III
(Speaking of design…)
 Eyetrack III
(Speaking of design…)

• We spend about one second per line.

– For whatever reason, the left side is generally read
more than the right.
– Short paragraphs and introductory paragraphs are
read more frequently.
– If you want people to read—not scan—consider
smaller type. The study found that large/header type
promotes skimming.
– Next slide: Red shows where people focused the
most; green shows what they scanned or ignored.
 Eyetrack III
(Speaking of design…)

FURTHER READING: EyeTrack III – Keep these ideas in mind when

you create your Web sites.
 Sampling of well designed sites
• It can be a matter of opinion, but there’s some
consensus on…
– Sites that know who their parents are.
• The New York Times
• MSNBC
• USA Today
– Readable sites
• Christian Science Monitor: Balance, easy on eyes
• CNN: Many headers, few blurbs—gives you an idea of top
story content in seconds
 And on the other end of things…
• Some call it the worst designed site on the
Web… others say it can’t be for real….
– Gird yer loins, class. I bring you: havenworks.com
– Why do I torment you so?
• Most news organizations have learned by now that a
good web designer can go a long way.
• Many designs work, many don’t—it depends on your
audience and the kinds of information you’re trying to
convey. In this case, you’re not reaching anyone.
• I don’t want your sites to look like this.
 Writing for the Web
• Almost everything you do in this class—
including your first piece—will incorporate
text.
• Although we’ve talked about text in brief
already, here are a few rules you should keep
in mind as you go through this course…
 Writing for the Web
• Rules for Internet Writing:
– Keep paragraphs short (one topic)
– Use informative subheads
– Hyperlink to other articles/sites you’re referencing
• Most news sites do this by linking words like “Iraq” to
lists of related articles. (Example.)
– Use bulleted lists (if you need them) to break
things up
– Key point: Long blocks of type are deadly!
 Writing for the Web
• Internet Writing is a combination of print and
broadcast
– Like print:
• Inverted pyramid style preferred
• Expandable news hole
• Write to be read rather than heard.
– Like Broadcast:
• Conversational tone
• Short, declarative sentences / Simple words
• Immediacy is important (people check the Web for breaking
news)
 Writing for the Web
• Improving scanability / readability
– Highlight key words and phrases (this can include
hyperlinking important phrases for context)
– Use subheads to break up text and divide story
– Use meaningful links—if you can summarize an issue
succinctly by offering a link for more info, do.
• Make it timely and relevant
– On Breaking stories, get info out fast
– Add on as story develops
– Add timestamps so you don’t have to rewrite
 Today’s assignments
• Create a Web site at sites.google.com
• Tutorial
• Sites can be customized--examples:
– Alexander’s portfolio -- Portfolio
– Raven Bradley Film -- Claire’s Gallery

• For next week/Feb 2.: Report on an issue of interest

to you and post it on your Web site using the
guidance on format and content discussed in class.
– E-mail me your site URL and bring a print out of your
article to class. Prepare to discuss it.