Download Inside Reporting - Chapter 8

Chapter Eight
Digital Journalism
From Print to the Web
Will electronic newspapers replace deadtree newspapers someday? Probably.
 Online media offer readers more variety—
and better yet, more control.
 Navigation is a crucial factor on news Web
sites: Sites must be informative, inviting and
intuitively logical, so users can roam at
random, following their curiosities and
customizing their news.
 Electronic news reporters need to develop
new storytelling techniques.
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Differences between Print and Web
Timeliness: Web stories can be posted
seconds after they're written and updated
constantly as events unfold.
 Images usually run smaller on Web pages
(readers can click to enlarge).
 Online text uses bigger type, and stories
run in just one column.
 A print story consists of just text, photos
and graphics.
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Differences between Print and Web
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Online stories can become part of a
complex multimedia package, combining text,
photos, audio, video, animated graphics,
interactive chat and more. Stories, images
and digital extras can be linked together in
layers, with related options just a click away.
Though the options are more diverse online,
journalistic standards and reporting
techniques should remain the SAME.
Media Convergence

Newsrooms must work together to
create a solid news source
Convergence in three basic forms
Newsroom convergence: Journalists from
different media (TV, radio, newspaper, online) all
share the same workspace, instead of occupying
separate offices in separate buildings.
 Newsgathering convergence: Reporters, editors
and photographers collaborate on story
production—Journalists multitask in multimedia.
 Content convergence: The final story is presented
in multimedia form, combining text, images, audio,
video, blogs, podcasts, slide-shows, etc.

Navigating Online News Sites

The home page:
◦ The gateway to the online news.
◦ Links users to every related page. It must be
comprehensive, yet easy to navigate; busy, yet
clean.
◦ Story links require compelling headlines and
concise, engaging summaries.
◦ Key elements on the home page defined
(time/date, index, lead story, page depth,
footer, navigation button, search engine,
ads/promos, interactive extras, links).
Online Storytelling Options
The printed word remains the
fundamental building block of online
journalism, but there are smart, new tools
to enhance it.
 Multimedia Options
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video
audio
webcams and webcasts
podcasts
animated graphics
Online Storytelling Options
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Interactive Options
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live chats
reader feedback and comments
online polls and quizzes
downloads
Links
Blogs
What are Weblogs?
 Who creates blogs?
 Why are blogs important?
 But are blogs journalism?

Writing for Online Media

The Web is changing reader habits and
challenging journalistic conventions.
Five Tips for Online Stories
"Chunk" your information.
 Tweak your type to make it easier to scan.
 Rethink what a "story" is.
 Enhance your story with extra elements.
 Collaborate.

Online Package Planning

A form that helps reporters and editors
plan stories for the Web.
The Future of News

Experts answer the question: How will
Americans get their news in the year
2025?