Redefining Multimedia Toward A More Packaged Journalism Online

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Redefining Multimedia Toward A More Packaged
Journalism Online

• By Amy Zerba

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Multimedia Online

• http//www.washingtonpost.com/
• http//www.heraldsun.com/gallery/elvis.html

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Why define multimedia on news sites?

• No clear definition of multimedia
• What does it look like?
• What does it do?
• Purpose Operational definition for future
  studies.

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What is a medium?

• Medium is a means of communication, a tool, to
  transmit a message.
• A photograph is a medium(text, audio, video,
  graphics)
• A newspaper is a medium (film, TV, radio,
  magazine, Internet, books)
• Surface level All transmit messages

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Multimedia Literature

• Integration of more than one medium
• Predates computers
• Classroom learning
• Purpose Increases understanding of information
  using additional channels.

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Method

• Deconstruct concept into units
• Previous literature on multimedia
• Interviewed seven multimedia journalists
• Snowball method for in-depth interviews
• 1-2 hour interviews in Sept.-Oct. 2002

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Method

• Washingtonpost.com
• NYTimes.com
• LATimes.com
• South Florida Sun-Sentinel
• Herald-Sun
• Myrtlebeachonline.com
• Freelance multimedia journalist/lecturer at UC
  Berkeley

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Research Questions

• RQ1. What is a multimedia feature?
• RQ2. What is a multimedia package?
• RQ3. What can multimedia online give readers that
  they cannot get from reading text?

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What is a multimedia feature?

• Text
• Photographs
• Audio
• Video
• Graphics
• Tangible media we can see and hear

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What is a multimedia feature?

• Interactivity repeatedly mentioned as a
  multimedia feature.
• Use of multimedia as a noun or adjective
• Something is multimedia and
• Something acts like multimedia

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What is a multimedia feature?

• A photo slideshow without audio?
• An interactive map without audio?

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What is a multimedia feature?

• A lot of I-think-so, probably technically,
  its just one medium.
• Uncertainty about multimedia concept
• Examples above part of larger context

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Interactivity

• No clear definition
• Requires a related response component in the
  communication exchange.(3-step communication
  process)
• A hyperlink is the simplest level of
  interactivity.

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What is a multimedia package?

• More than one medium (static, dynamic)
• Context
• Interactivity
• A multimedia package consists of more than one
  medium in combination with interactivity that is
  related to a story, event or information.

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Model of Multimedia Package
Fig. 1.2 News site model of Multimedia Package
Fig. 1.1 Pre-Computer model of Multimedia Package
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What does multimedia give readers that text
cannot?

• Purpose Additional ways to understand
  information.
• Theme User Involvement(heightened user
  experience)

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User involvement with multimedia

• I got this email before that said, Ill never
  look at a computer the same way again. For
  some people this was the first emotional
  experience theyve ever had with a computer that
  didnt involve a member of the family or email
  with a grandfather, and thats sort of a new
  thing. (J. Weiss, Sept.
  27, 2002, Herald-Sun)

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What does multimedia give readers that text
cannot?

• Theme Extension of reporting
• Some things better told with added media.
• The art of multimedia Picking and choosing of
  media to tell a story.

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Extension of multimedia

• I did a story about an Elvis tribute artist
  that had to be done in video. I mean I couldnt
  see that any other way. You had to see this guy
  move. And so, it doesnt feel like its actually
  a decision, it just sort of feels like well,
  thats the way I should have done it.
• (J. Weiss, Sept. 27, 2002,
  Herald-Sun)

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In summary

• Multimedia feature is the integration of more
  than one medium.
• Multimedia features on news sites text,
  photographs, graphics, audio and video(static or
  dynamic)
• Multimedia package consists of more than one
  medium combined with interactivity that is
  related to a story, event or information.

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In summary

• Primary purpose of multimedia on news Web sites
  is to give users additional ways to understand a
  story.
• Heightened user involvement in a story
• Extension of reporting

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Closing Remarks

• Purpose of study Definition of multimedia
  package
• Young adults? Non-readers?
• Different learning styles?
• Time multimedia journalists put into producing
  packages users even care?
• Future Study Dimensions of multimedia?
• Future Study Uses and Gratifications?

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