Redefining Multimedia Toward A More Packaged Journalism Online

By Amy Zerba

Multimedia Online

• http://www.washingtonpost.com/

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

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.

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

Multimedia Literature

• Integration of more than one medium

• Predates computers

• Classroom learning

• Purpose: Increases understanding of information using additional channels.

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

Method

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

UC Berkeley

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?

What is a multimedia feature?

• Text

• Photographs

• Audio

• Video

• Graphics

Tangible media – we can see and hear

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

What is a multimedia feature?

• A photo slideshow without audio?

• An interactive map without audio?

What is a multimedia feature?

• A lot of “I-think-so,” “probably” “technically, it’s just one [medium].”

• Uncertainty about multimedia concept

• Examples above part of larger context

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.

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.

Model of Multimedia Package

Fig. 1.1 Pre-Computer model of Multimedia Package

Fig. 1.2 News site model of Multimedia Package

What does multimedia give readers that text cannot?

• Purpose: Additional ways to understand information.

• Theme: User Involvement(heightened user experience)

User involvement with multimedia

• “I got this email before that said, ‘I’ll never look at a computer the same way again. … … For some people this was the first emotional experience they’ve ever had with a computer that didn’t involve a member of the family or email with a grandfather, and that’s sort of a new thing.” (J. Weiss, Sept. 27, 2002, Herald-Sun)

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.

Extension of multimedia

• “I did a story about an … Elvis tribute artist … that had to be done in video. I mean I couldn’t see that any other way. You had to see this guy move. And so, it doesn’t feel like it’s actually a decision, it just sort of feels like well, that’s the way I should have done it.”

(J. Weiss, Sept. 27, 2002, Herald-Sun)

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.

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

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?