Multimedia(s) in journalism 2.0

BEING A BLACK MAN

Being a black man (Washington Post) is like the almost-perfect multimedia package. It combines text, polls, archive, audio, video, slideshows, and animated graphics in a well design home page (and offers the visitor info about the special, FAQ´s, a contact adress and a feedback link). In other words, it has an excellent use of the multimedia platform.

Every item in the special has its how homepage, different than other and thar give the content a more attractive presentation.

But that amount of info is, at the same time, something that slows down the usability of the multimedia package. Nevertheles, it presents more than 20 pieces of content that´s why it may be a bit hard and confussing to explore.

EL VIAJE EN QUE ERNESTO SE CONVIRTIÓ EN EL CHE

El viaje en que Ernesto se convirtió en el Che (Clarín) is a great work of the argentine journalist Gustavo Sierra who travel with Calica Ferrer through the places that changes Che Guevara´s mind for ever. But despite the content, the specials weak. All the information is in the videos, that had a great visual display; the image gallery and the chronics are not easy to access and don´t add substantial content the special, they just paratexts. The presentation size is small, though Flash makes it more dynamic. In the end, the story of Ernesto "Che" Guevara prevails the weaknesses and makes the special satisfactory.

AFTER THE DESTRUCTION

After the destruction (Washington Post) is a multimedia package about the consequences of Katrina hurricane in New Orleans, specifically in the lifes of the people that the videojournalist Travis Fox met when we covered the natural disaster. This especial contents the three basics characteristics of good multimedia: an appropriate use of the medium (it combines videos, before and after 360° panoramic pictures and an interactive map in a very clear design, although it could have a bigger size), it has a compelling presentation that reinforces the first characteristic, and is also very easy to navigate.

EXTRA BITES

Minimal resources, maximum impact Chucking Out (or what happens in Britain when it gets dark). This is not a multimedia package properly, buts I want to mention it because it explodes something that´s not use very often: environmental sound. Just pictures and sound to transmit the vivid experience of drunk people in Britain.

Two great animated infographics.

Passing the Torch: An Evolution of Form. Combining all the Olympic´s torches in a row with a little text box an using the magic of flash animation, NY Times shocked all the Beijing 2008 especial just with theses graphic. It was also supplemented by an audio of a NYTimes journalist who detailed the visual information.

Stars Wars. Las Guerras Clon. This animated interactive especial of El Comercio the Perú is also a good example of hoy to use, gather and present visual information of a complex issues like the Star Wars saga; despite it lacks ok music, audio and video.

Adio!