Ch. 4: Comprehensiveness in Content
Unfiltered Information: Original / Source Documents and Data
Many 911 emergency call centers unable to identify cell callers’ locations [Times] – 59
“Scorecard” chart enables readers to compare corporate executives’ pay [Journal] – 59
Unfiltered Information: Another Example
ProPublica offers investigative tools for digging into public-interest data [ProPublica]
Enduring Background Information
“Topics” gathers reporting, different media, background on many subjects [Times] – 60
Site doesn’t draw heavy traffic or advertising, but Google has similar project [Times] – 60
“Living Stories” works with two major newspapers to enhance news content [Google] – 60
Drilling Down on One Aspect of the Story
Additional content “drills down” into story on Africa’s young people [Times] – 60
Multimedia project “drills down” into fatal collapse of I-35W bridge [StarTribune] – 61
Forms Appropriate to a Story and the Ways People Learn
Articles, audio, video, still image content combine to portray schools’ problems [Post] – 63
Interactive / Information Graphics
Timeline provides context for understanding unfolding economic crisis [MSNBC] – 65
“Politics Dashboard” unites maps and data on 2008 election campaign [MSNBC] – 65
Interactive online graphic explains how a sprinter set a world record [Times] – 66
Interactive Graphics: Another Example
“Before and After” feature starkly displays devastation from Japanese earthquake [Times]
Text
Investigative text-only story lists aircraft-bird collisions after river landing [MSNBC] – 67
Story series uncovers rapid spread of resistant germ in Washington [Seattle Times] – 67
Investigative text-only story explains how bacteria spread [Seattle Times] – 67
Well-written captions provide explanation and background to crisis photos [Post] – 68
Photos
Photo gallery of still photography reveals breadth and depth of tragedy in Haiti [Post] – 69
Photos, video, audio, blogs, Tweets, text cover facility collapse [Morning News] – 70
Photos: Another Example
Still images from Japanese earthquake show aftermath in powerful way [Times]
Audio
Veteran’s own voice narrates slideshow of his nearly fatal experience [News-Express] – 70
Multiple formats help tell story of a Harlem storefront Pentecostal church [Times] – 71
Video
Video shows vivid examples of leaping Asian silver carp in Missouri River [Journal] – 72
Longtime Elkhart resident history of his town and changes in industry [MSNBC] – 72
Yearlong project focused on impact of recession on town [MSNBC] – 72
Video enhances story series on popularity of women’s roller derby teams [MSNBC] – 73
Newspaper’s mini-documentary covers historic 2009 presidential inauguration [Post] – 73
Lengthy video accompanies series on radiation treatment dangers [Times] – 74
Mock game-show format enhanced newspaper’s coverage of tech issues [Times] – 75
Video: Another Example
Las Vegas Sun lets resident document his own gambling problem [Sun]
Nature of the Medium
Social networking drove online coverage of celebrity memorial service [MSNBC] – 80
On-The-Job Profile: Jenni Pinkley Facing the Daily Challenges
Newspaper writer created video story to accompany local series [StarTribune] – 83
Writer worked to get information for text story accompanying video [StarTribune] – 84
I welcome your comments about the site and ways to improve it.
Please let me know if you have new examples of excellent work to suggest to add.