Interactive Journalism Today

Нигяр Икрам гызы Агаева

научный сотрудник 

научно-исследовательской 

лаборатории «Журналистика» БГУ

One of the most impressive aspects of the Internet is the cross cultural information highway that it has created. Individuals from around the world can meet in one local median to discuss and exchange ideas. In comparison to newspapers, the Internet is not restricted by printing overhead costs. Unlike many print publications that are suffering due to the current economic crisis, many online news outlets are watching their business expand and grow. Undoubtedly one of the more impressive impacts that the Internet has had on journalism is the voice that readers have now been given.

Online blogging, social networking sites, interactive news-forums have all given users a means with which they can be heard. Readers are given a greater opportunity to impact the news that they want to read. Global communication channels have opened up to smaller societies and cultures throughout the world, allowing greater access to what may have once been deemed obscure news. Journalists themselves have commented on this change in Journalism, as seen in a report published by the Online News Association and the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. “A solid majority of those [Journalists] surveyed (57%) say the Internet is “changing the fundamental values of journalism.” The biggest changes, the respondents said, were a loosening of standards (45%), more outside voices (31%) and an increased emphasis on speed (25%)” [3]. While users now have a greater say in what they want to see reported, has it affected the integrity of Journalism? The need to be the first to break a story will push many to quick, aloof writing, and often times this leads to mis-reporting, or just downright stupid mistakes that are allowed to slide through in the “heat of the moment” (check out the Iraq has vanished blog – even the bigger news outlets are not immune to this). It also seems that with the increasing number of users who are logging into news sites on a daily basis, we have created a culture of “enlightened,” or at least those who consider themselves such. I laugh out loud at some of the comments that people leave on blogs, or have your says, where blatant stupidity has also accessed this information superhighway. Sure, Internet research has facilitated the access to information, but this really does not mean that you should advertise the fact that you still know nothing.

In the article author analyzes the Interactive journalism. It is a new type of journalism that allows consumers to directly contribute to the story. Through Web technology, reporters can develop a conversation with the audience. Author tells about digital age has changed and how people collect information. Newspapers, once the only source for news, have seen declines in circulation as people get news on the Internet for free.

Key words: interactive journalism, global communication, technologic innovation, newspapers 

В статье автор анализирует роль интерактивной журналистики. Это новый тип журналистики, в которой журналист, с помощью веб-технологий, может развивать диалог с аудиторией. Автор рассказывает о цифровом веке, и о том, как люди получают информацию. Как с появлением Интернета интерес к газете, являвшемся основным источником информации, спал.

Ключевые слова: интерактивная журналистика, глобальная коммуникация, технология, инновация, газеты. 

The World Wide Web has become synonymous with research and a source of information. It has impacted the spread of knowledge, and expanded and increased global communication. The Internet has equally impacted Journalism, and has revolutionized how people read and are exposed to media events from around the world.

The jury is out on an official definition – “interactive” being somewhat of a nebulous word that could have different meanings depending on who you ask. But, based on one of Asian American Journalists Association’s(AAJA) recent conventions, “interactive” is interchangeable with “visual.” Whether you call it “interactive journalism” or “visual journalism,” this niche is the result of an ever-evolving landscape affected and influenced by technology. The Internet has created readers who want to consume content a certain way [6]. Smartphones, tablets and other gadgets have only reinforced this demand. News needs to be easily digestible, attention-grabbing and, to some extent, driven by data. Data visualizations help to convey information so that news is delivered with those elements in mind. Some examples include:

· Static infographics (maps, charts, diagrams)

· Interactive graphics (data-driven)

· Rich multimedia

· Video graphics and animation

Aside from being convenient to the reader, interactive pieces do more than deliver news. They encourage engagement by creating “a universe” for audiences to explore. Portfolio.com posted an interactive feature called “VCs Go Global,” which allows people to visually traverse – by way of a roadmap – through an environment that highlights the center of the venture capital world. A fairly straightforward piece.

Interactive pieces are great sources of information, but, if applied, can do much more by revealing patterns. In potential life-or-death situations, patterns shown on interactive data maps could be the key to saving lives. AP Interactive, The Associated Press’ interactive division, created a data map that visually chronicles the European E. coli outbreak by country. As the situation develops, updated information may provide more insight on possible causes. Data maps can also indicate trends. AP Interactive’s Economic Stress Index measures financial strain in the U.S. and because it is continually updated, trends are emerging. But what does this mean for journalists? Back in the day, journalism was fairly cut and dry. Journalists would identify a story idea, do the research and reporting and write the article. Of course, there’s more to it than that, but that was essentially the process. Today, journalists have to think beyond the written word if they want their pieces to resonate with their audience, particularly if their content is published and consumed online. Interactive journalism is a step in that direction.

Interactive journalists are a hybridized breed. Their skillset requires many different aptitudes beyond writing, although that’s still – and will always be — an important element. The ability to visualize coupled with technical literacy are significant in this line of work – but, as time goes on, may prove to be essential. Whether you tell your stories in written form, with images or interactively, it all boils down to good, old-fashioned journalism.

For centuries, the news has been gathered and presented in many ways starting with oral accounts and then with written accounts. As the print and broadcast industries developed, the means to publish and distribute news became more and more sophisticated. More than five hundred years ago, Johannes Gutenberg invented the mechanical movable type printing and changed history and stories. Until our days, through printing on a piece of paper, we had the best way of telling and of distributing our stories [5]. Books where born, then newspapers, magazines, fanzines, etc. Each of this storytelling ‘frames’ appeared from a technologic innovation, but all of them where based on the invention of printing on paper. Paper was the best way to share knowledge around. Then came the Internet and the beginning of digital distribution. World Wide Web means no physical boundaries for publishers and for their stories and it’s an amazing invention and an amazing tool. Sadly, let’s face it, news publishers failed big time in using this new tool. End of story and history! Move fast forward – like today’s inventive digital days – and the publishing business has found the beautiful world of applications, of Smartphone and tablets and, most important, publishers found a way to make business from digital distribution. Regardless of its bumpy start, not many of us can say for sure that applications, with paid content, aren’t here to stay (at least for a while!). With tablets looking to become a huge market, Smartphone will get the focus they deserve, which is to provide its users with smart, informative services (and there’s a huge market for publishers here!) and our new friends, the tablets, will be the tools for storytelling. And this brings us again to the role of interactive journalism. Historically, professional journalists were recognized for mastery displayed in the gathering and validation of the facts and in the succinct, clear presentation of the news. Credibility was earned and guaranteed by the reputation of the journalist and the media channel distributing the information. One had to "earn one’s stripes" to join and be an active part of the journalism community [4]. 

The news media was controlled and regulated and professional reputations jealously protected. Drawing from a source like the Wall Street Journal or the London Times assured you of the quality of the information you sought. Even small local newspapers prided themselves on the journalistic integrity they brought to their community service. The credibility of sources was checked and double-checked. Facts were validated from multiple sources. Going online has changed the world of journalism as we knew it. Anyone can publish to audiences of millions. Can anyone be a journalist? Can anyone participate in an online journalistic process? Journalists need sources of information. Information sources have multiplied on the Internet; our ability to validate sources and facts has decreased. Now we must or should treat information gathered from the many online channels as electronic conversations overheard. The sources we find might lead to substantive, credible sources from which information originated. Then again those sources might be scams. To play the role of journalist, the onus is on each of us to validate the information and our sources when we publish information gleaned from the Internet. Old world journalists are discovering the emerging era of interactive journalism where, in multidirectional, digital communication, the audience becomes an integral part of an interactive process and information sharing. The new buzzwords are “We Media” as journalist and audience become involved in information transactions. Journalism is evolving away from its lecture mode to include conversations. Dan Gillmore in the Columbia Journalism Review wrote, in January 2003, that interactive technology is acting as a catalyst for a fundamental revolution in journalism. He maintains the “We Media” will augment traditional methods of journalism with new and yet-to-be invented collaboration tools. These will range from email to Web logs (blogs) to peer-to-peer systems. But, as he points out, it boils down to something simple: readers collectively know more than individual journalists. They will not settle for half-baked coverage when they can join journalists in the kitchen. Gillmore claims the evolution of “We Media” will oblige us all to adapt. Anyone who jumps onto this new pool becomes a participant in the interactive journalism process. It is the technology that enables anyone wishing to be a journalist to participate [1]. The information exchanges are now a process of sharing rather than pushing (reporting) of information. 

He cites an interesting strategy adopted recently by the US Defense Department following an interview between Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Dan Balz and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Soon after the Post ran the series of articles, the Department posted a transcript of the entire interview illuminating how well prepared the reporters were and how they went about their task. This is a new level of transparency in public discussions that places as much onus on both parties to get it right. It produced a higher level of total sharing of information rather than one-sided selective reporting. 

The business model for interactive news is far from certain. Emerging techniques will raise new issues. What impacts will there be when interactive journalistic sharing spreads to the broadcast media. Are we ready for interactive TV and radio newscasts at dinner time? We will need to find new ways to test for accuracy, trust, ethics and law - all the things the professional journalists did for us in the past. Gillmore is certain that “We Media” is not only coming - it is here; another brave new world indeed.

In the beginning there was the Internet. And that’s how journalism turned digital. Newsrooms where formed to ‘feed’ this new beast. Later on, these new team where integrated with the print team (or should have been). Thus appeared the online journalist. Nowadays, with the push mobile has given publishers around the world, a new challenge is faced by the ‘old’ teams. Applications (be it on mobile or web based) need a new language. We no longer need ‘just’ online and print journalists. What we need is interactive journalism. ‘But we already have it, we have a team of online content producers’. Online journalism is not interactive journalism; at least no more than online journalism is printed journalism. Which doesn’t mean we can’t do both of them – actually the three of them, as I intent to show with this article. What is interactive journalism then? We need to use every technological tool at our disposal to come up with the best language possible. From online we have the knowledge to make videos, slideshows, interactive graphics, audio files, etc. From print we have the powerful written word at all its might and the amazing world of photography, rich, big, storytelling pictures. Interactive journalism is using all of this tools mixed together to serve a story, the best way possible to suit the content’s need. Interactive journalism is serving the reader with the best stories, regardless of the tools we use.

References

1. Bowman S., Willis C. (2003). We Media. How audiences are shaping the future of news and information. Published online in PDF and HTML formats: http://www.hypergene.net/wemedia/ 

2. Brody, E. W. (1990). Communication tomorrow: new audiences, new technologies, new media. New York: Praeger

3. Engebretsen, M. (2006). Writing for the Web: An Introduction to Online Journalism. 

4. Fredin, E. S. (1997). Rethinking the News Story for the Internet: Hyperstory Prototypes and a Model of the User. Soloski, J. (ed.), Journalism & Mass Communication Monographs. Columbia, SC: Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. 

5. Gitelman, L. (2006). Always already new: media, history and the data of culture. London: MIT Press 

6. Stovall, J. G. (2004). Web Journalism. Boston: Pearson. 

7. Sundet, V. S. (2007). The Dream of Mobile Media. Storsul, T., Stuedahl, D. (eds.), Ambivalence Towards Convergence. Digitalization and Media Change. Göteborg: Nordicom.