Media Helping Media

Making the most of multimedia on the web involves thinking differently about how information is presented and where it is placed. As more and more media organisations offer converged news offerings, journalists are being asked to use new tools and apply new technigues.

In the early 1990s if you looked at the media industry, you would find that most organisation's specialised in one area.

Video and audio was produced by specialist broadcasters, while text was produced in newspapers and magazines. The internet has changed all that.

Broadcasters such as the BBC are producing text news stories and blogs, while newspapers like the Guardian and the New York Times are producing video, podcasts and graphics.

And video hosting sources such as You Tube make it is easier and cheaper than ever to produce a well-rounded multi-media story.

But producing that new media on a web page means thinking in a different way about how that information is presented and where the key information should be placed.

Producing multi-media on the web means thinking in a different way about how information is presented and where it should be placed.

What is multimedia?

Multimedia means any combination of text, images, audio, video and graphics used to create a rounded news story or package.

The most sophisticated multimedia packages are often created using  Flash software and combine graphics, audio and video.

But almost all web pages are multimedia in themselves, meaning that they already have combination of text and pictures; the use of audio and video gives us a variety of new options in how to present the story on the page.

The key to the well-edited page lies in telling the story in full, using a mix of media that informs and engages,  keeping the reader glued to the story from top to bottom, but not overwhelming them.

It is also about how the media complements each other, the words, text, audio, video and graphics can combine to give a really detailed picture in quite a short space.

Try to telling the story using a mix of media that informs and engages but which does not overwhelm.

The multimedia newsroom

In an ideal world the converged multimedia newsroom will have one editor deciding which stories are best and different teams all working on their elements to bring it together.

In a fully converged large newsroom, it could be that the day duty editor is deciding on all the stories and deciding which should go on air, which online, which as a video and which should get further analysis in the daily newsdesk podcast.

However, many newsrooms will be operating on a smaller budget and it will take a careful marshalling of resources by the duty and planning editors to make sure the elements are available for timely publication.

So it is important to be aware of the process of commissioning, collecting, editing, reviewing and publishing that video before you get started, and knowing who might be able to do what.

Audio is normally a bit easier to edit and produce, but a full package or podcast will also need a bit of time to be produced to a high standard.

Graphics, which can range from a basic pie chart to a full interactive guide, should be commissioned early in the process, or ideally by the planning editor in the days before the story.

It's important to be aware of the process of commissioning, collecting, editing, reviewing and publishing before you get started.

Commissioning material

It is important that the reporter is aware of what he or she will be expected to produce before they head off to cover a story.  They need to be equipped to do a combination of text, audio and video.

Is the story likely to lead on facts, is it an event/people driven story, or is it a story that is likely to lead on visuals.

A fact-driven story, such as a UN report on poverty in Lebanon, may be best told by a text-based news story direct from the news conference in Beirut, enhanced by graphics, such as a breakdown by religious/ethnic grouping.

But with good forward planning, a reporter could be sent to do a video or audio interview to enable those mentioned in the story to talk about the  problems they face in their own words.

This piece of original journalism could be edited and prepared in advance to be released when the report is, adding a vital human element.

An event dominated story and people driven story could work well as a combination of audio and text. If you are interviewing a key political figure, you could write a news story and post the audio of the full interview for people to listen to.

Protests where people are chanting also make good use of audio. Good use of any natural sound can really add value to the story.

A visual story is obviously one led by images, such as a festival or flood.

The reporter should know when commissioning takes place that images are likely to be a key part of the story and that a certain emphasis should be placed on getting good images or video content to go with the story.

The same process can also be used within the newsroom to determine how a story should be weighted in terms of text, audio, video and graphics.

A piece of original journalism could be edited and prepared in advance to be published when the report is released.

Editing the story

In any news story it is important that the key information is at the top, rather than buried somewhere half way down.

If there is video of a news event that is really going to draw the reader in then it's a good idea to have that at the top of the story.

If  you have excellent still images of a flood, or of a protest march --- something that really tells the story and evokes a reaction --- then it's a good idea to have these at the top of story as a large gallery or a single still image.

A good example of this was the story of an enraged Iraqi journalist throwing a shoe at George Bush during a press conference in Baghdad in December 2008.

No matter how well we describe this in words and still images, there is no substitute for actually seeing it happen, and the video should be put at the top of the story.

If you feel your video or audio is not the key information, and is better as a complement to the piece, then you might want to add it as a link, a bit further down the page.

The video could be more general footage, or you might have produced a podcast with your correspondent discussing the issue raised by the story.

Another option is to embed it within the page, You Tube style. The advantage of this is that the video also acts as a still image, whether the reader chooses to watch it or not.

You can also do this with audio using Windows Media Player .

You may want to embed the video next to the part of the text talking about the element in the story so that the reader can easily click to find out more as he or she reads down the page.

The key thing is to remember that the video or audio should add significantly to the story, as you have devoted your news organisation's resources into developing it.

However, it is also a good idea to write your text story as though people hadn't see it, as the text alone could end up elsewhere through multi-platform authoring, syndication and blogs.

If there is video of a news event that is really going to draw the reader in then it's a good idea to have that at the top of the story.

Video

Most TV news packages contain standard elements such as a piece to camera or stand-up as they are known in the US, which places the reporter at the scene of the event, or outside the White House in Washington etc.

Online video can contain this but doesn't need to, as it is normally accompanied by text that explains and provides context.

It can contain the key element of the story, for example an excerpt from a speech by President Barack Obama, but it can also be a quick snapshot of an event, something that gives the reader an idea of the atmosphere on the streets, or a quick vox pop series of interviews. Play an example.

You could also give a camera to someone taking part in an event and get them to record their own day using a cheap digital video camera. Play an example.

Analysis and comment could also be added by a correspondent via a video blog, as could viewer video's sent in through the interactive desk.

Text

Some stories still lend themselves to text even if we can use video to cover them.

A local council meeting of politicians in suits is unlikely to generate much exciting video, although if you are a political blogger covering a regular beat with a dedicated audience then it could still be worthwhile.

The best quotes should normally also be put in the text news story, even if they appear in the video or audio as well.

If you a broadcaster or programme maker, a reporter's diary or blog going behind the scenes can really add value.

Its best to keep the text in short lines, rather than bunched up in blocks; not only is the information easier to read, but the page also looks better laid-out.

The best quotes should be displayed in the text news story, even if they also appear in the video or audio.

Using audio

A full length interview or a piece with some natural sound can really add to a story.

Many news organisations have also decided to develop podcasts, in which editors, correspondents and guests discuss the key stories.

They can be also be posted on the I-tunes service to reach a wider audience.

A good piece of audio can also be carefully edited with still images (either from reporter or agency) to make an audio gallery.

A good piece of audio can also be carefully edited with still images to make an audio gallery.

Graphics

Maps, graphics and pie charts can greatly enhance the readers understanding of some stories, particularly those that rely heavily on data, such as displaying the figures in a local authority budget.

But they must be clear and show the key information in the story using clear colours and text.

It also important that the information is accurately sourced and up to date so as to present a coherent picture.

On an extremely dramatic business or social story, you could even lead on a really striking graphic (like a map of Antarctic ice shrinking) by putting it at the top of the story.

Otherwise it is a good idea to keep them in the body of the text or as a pop-up in a separate window.

Readers like to be able to control the flow of information available and it is a good idea to make more complicated graphics and maps clickable where-ever possible.

The 'Rolls Royce' of graphics is a series of fully interactive graphics, video and images that provide a full package.

Make more complicated graphics and maps clickable where-ever possible.

Use of images

It's a good idea to think flexibly about images while sticking to your news organisation's online style.

A striking  image could look even more dramatic if used across the top of the page, while some vertical  images, such as a rocket being launched, could look better if used down the right-hand side of the text.

Many major news organisations also have a moving gallery of images at the top of index's or the main story.

Teases and link boxes

Whether your audio, video or picture gallery is embedded in the page or opens in a separate window, the key to getting people to watch it is down to how you promote it.

If your video is not embedded you will need to link it from a box in the page.

It's a good idea to have video teases accompanied by a key still image from the video,  but you may want to keep it simple, as detailed images (e.g. rubble from destroyed buildings etc) can be confusing when used in small sizes.

The text should be lively and factual. If it's a first person or interview you might want to use a 'pull-quote' to draw the reader in. E.g. 'My father is innocent'

If its a video report by one of your senior correspondents you might want to use their name eg... John Simpson on the future for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The key to getting people to watch it is down to how you promote it.

Things to watch out for

Context

Words and pictures need to send a consistent message and the same is true of audio and video so it always worth asking yourself whether the whole package of the story delivered in a consistent way.

We have to be clear what we are saying in any news story and we must never add audio, video or text that could confuse the audience.

It may sound obvious, but make sure you are showing the video of exactly the same event the story is centred around.

If a reader thinks he or she is seeing violence at a major protest in central Manchester against economic reform, as the lead in your story says, but your video is of another smaller protest in the same city you have to let the reader know.

The same is true of images. Obviously if a politician has been accused of corruption, you won't want to use a picture of the person smiling happily on winning an election.

Make sure you are showing the video of exactly the same event the story is centred around.

Balance across media.

The coverage, as a package of all multimedia elements, needs to retain balance, and its important that all sides get a fair say across the different media you are offering.

Sometimes it might be difficult, in terms of access, but there could be problems if you give the government spokesperson a 15 minute video interview and the opposition just gets two lines of text.

Staying true to your editorial priorities

When branching out into new areas such as video, or text for a broadcaster, staff will need training in working with new mediums and maintaining journalistic standards across new platforms.

It may sometimes prove difficult for a news organisation to maintain their core editorial premise in the new medium.

And It should be the job of the duty editor to make sure that the new material also fits in, editorially and stylistically, so that the story or package speaks with a consistent voice.

Staff will need training in working with new mediums and maintaining journalistic standards

Duplication

Multimedia means we should add to the reader's understanding of the story, and there could always be a danger that we offer her or him different versions of the same story.

Whatever decisions you make as an editor should mean the added effort the news team have put in really results in something different that is likely to boost traffic to the site as well as honestly enhancing information offered.

[important color=green title=Rob Winder]The author, Rob Winder, is a journalist and news editor at Amnesty International. Rob has previously worked as a multimedia editor and news journalist at both BBC News Online and Al Jazeera English. 
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