Working journalists use the term “multimedia storytelling” in a variety of ways.

What is multimedia?

Rich storytelling to engage the audience.

Use of interactivity to help tell the story.

Multimedia journalism combines text, photographs, audio, video, web design, and graphics in order to give an audience additional ways to understand information through the use of digital content.

what works best?

The first decision for a multimedia reporter is to determine what type of media would be most effective in telling the story. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different types of media can help determine which are best for particular subjects.

Text and photos? -This is the age-old standard. Old school. See just about any news story online or in print.

Photo Gallery -Slideshow of images with captions. See any news site, such as: Northjersey.com, or NY Times, USA Today

Audio slideshow -Photographs and sound presented in Adobe Flash, HTML or video format. Also, Soundslides.

Examples: Remembering 9/11 by Thomas E. Franklin, or One Thing at a Time by Shamus Ian Fatzinger, Fairfax Times

Video - The recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images. (You already knew that!)

See any online news site. Northjersey.com, NY Times, NJ.com USA Today

What are the main considerations?

Some main considerations: Time in, duration, approach, and presentation.

How does web video differ from TV?

Read more: “Four types of online video journalism,” by the The Online Journalism Blog, or “Picking the Right Media for a Story,” by By Paul Grabowicz, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

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