The multi-media arena
The multi-media arena
Response to Jane Stevens’ ‘Multimedia storytelling’ – WEEK 1
The multi-media arena is continually changing. New contestants and platforms are introduced, and new battles begin between media conglomerates. Jane Stevens’ article looks closely at multimedia journalism and brings up a range of points worthy of discussion.
Stevens’ article demonstrates how multi-media journalism has made more choices available to consumers in terms of how they want their information delivered, and this highlights the fact that never before have audience needs been more important or evident than they are now.
One of the most pertinent discussions in the article, I believe, concerns the importance of ‘storyboarding’. While setting out stories and their components is important, I would argue that there are an increasing number of journalists who are being sent out to cover stories immediately after they break, and therefore have little time to work out what information they need or how they might put the story together when they return to the newsroom.
Instead they have to find and upload their stories quickly in order satisfy the public’s appetite. Preparation would probably make for a better story, but it seems that is somewhat of a luxury for journalists fortunate enough to get the time to do it.
You can read Stevens’ article on the Knight Digital Media Centre website at http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/reporting/starttofinish/choose/
You may also be interested in an article that appeared in last week’s Age about the upcoming introduction of online television next year: http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv–radio/abc-pushes-right-digital-buttons-with-online-tv/2008/07/23/1216492540320.html
