Page 159 - Convergent Journalism an Introduction Writing and Producing Across Media

Multimedia Journalism: Putting It All Together

decades to make their products look attractive—witness the revolu-
tion in newspaper and magazine design in the past generation. That
beauty, however, only becomes apparent when someone makes the
effort to read the newspaper or magazine. Magazines often end up as
landfill or as decorations in dentists’ waiting rooms, while newspapers
have an even shorter shelf life, destined to end up at the bottom of a
birdcage. Television news disappears into oblivion unless we remember
to record the program.
Multimedia journalism represents a different form of storytelling
and a different form of narrative structure. It also is available, when
archived online, for rediscovery and redistribution. Because of its non-
linear format, it welcomes interactivity and two-way communication.
Audiences can play with it, play it over and over again, and add their
feedback and comments. Best of all, it responds to many more of the
senses. We can hear, we can see, and because of the emotional impact
of good video, we can also feel.
How does one become a multimedia journalist? The key is the will-
ingness to think in terms of the strengths and power of each medium.
It requires learning new skills and, therefore, training becomes vital. 149
You may have to teach yourself or seek help from colleagues, because
traditionally employers have not offered much training to journalists.
Martha Stone, training director for the Newsplex at the University of
South Carolina, believes that much multimedia journalism is bubbling
up from the grassroots of news organizations on an experimental basis,
not as a planned, long-term investment in the future. “Few multime-
dia journalists are being trained on video cameras, audio recorders,
and cross-platform writing styles,” she noted. “To improve multime-
dia journalism,” Stone said, “a commitment from the top levels of
management is needed” (2002).
If your employer or university offers training, grab every opportu-
nity. Remember that as a human being, as well as a journalist, if you are
not expanding you are contracting. If employers or universities do not
offer training in the latest tools, then get together with like-minded col-
leagues. If you are interested in a particular software package or digital
camera, for example, organize a brown-bag lunch session. Scour the
Web for tips. Attend one of the many seminars and workshops offered
by places like the Poynter Institute, the American Press Institute, or
similar organizations. Web sites are listed at the end of the chapter.
After you absorb the skills, what happens next? As Chapter 2 exp-
lains, news in a converged newsroom is event driven, so the significance