By Natalie Wade

Today, the world of journalism no longer manifests between the pages of the print newspaper delivered to your doorstep. Like the abundance of cat videos and fashion blogs, journalism of 2019 has found refuge in the internet, where most of the world has turned its attention. This may mean a blurring of opinion and commentary, the insatiability of online advertisement revenue and an “always-on,” 24/7 social media news culture. However, there exists a silver lining to what some reporters have called “the death of journalism.” The power of multimedia and the expanded set of tools reporters can call on to create compelling and multifaceted stories have emerged within the new age of internet-based journalism.

Contemporary online reporting can spread stories across the world in seconds, but grabbing the attention of readers and holding it long enough to read 800 words is harder than ever. As a result, many publications have expanded their digital efforts to produce stories with audio and visual components that are captivating, eye-opening and immersive. The rise of the new embrace of digital media often is credited to The New York Times, hired its first social media editor in 2009, and later, in 2012 , produced Snow Fall, one of the first breakthrough pieces that opened the eyes of journalists to using video, topographical mapping and data visualization together. Soon, the role of the journalist expanded to include photography, videography, video editing, and social media proficiency, while journalists’ multimedia skills made their way into the newsroom. This has also led to new positions in the newsroom, such as multimedia editors, community engagement editors, and social media editors.

There are many great examples of work that showcases how creators have elevated online stories. Take a moment to read, watch and listen to Life Without Power. The story combines video, audio, and digital design with powerful narratives to share the story of post-hurricane Maria. This interactive documentary-style article reminds me that we don’t have to limit ourselves to a single format. In fact, we should not limit the media we use to tell a story. Life Without Power includes maps, infographics, and added sounds, such as the hum of a power generator as audiences flick through different story elements at their own pace. This story exemplifies the combining of different elements in a way that is effective, honest and artistic. Unfortunately, not all users of multimedia create a product of similar honesty and impact. Multimedia is a double-edged sword and must be used with the understanding that users are sharing a story, not creating one.

The internet, like the variety of multimedia options at our disposal, is a tool that should be used to broaden reach, create more accessible information, and draw in audiences for longer periods. Like any tool, it’s neither inherently good nor evil. In this case, the journalist holds the power to decide how they use the internet in their reporting.

As many other multimedia journalists have noticed, documentary filmmaker David Leeson saw, “new ethical challenges emerging for him and other newspaper photojournalists like him as they made the multimedia metamorphosis” (Winslow). Multimedia ethical challenges should be a major concern to journalists, and similarly to the SPJ code of ethics, there should exist a set of rules and guidelines that mirror the progressing of the field.

“While all the ethical guidelines that apply to still photography, graphics, and news writing would largely apply to video,” Leeson said, “motion and sound set the medium apart.” Because multimedia has so many components, so many more “moving parts” than just still photography, there are more opportunities for unethical lapses.

– David Leeson

There’s no denying that these tools could potentially be used to produce “fake news” or to create a cocktail of something that is one-part news, two-parts entertainment. That is the very reason the journalistic the code of ethics is as important as ever.

This never-ending wave of digital revolutionization has made it much easier for the public to dismiss information as lies. Even something as simple as slowing down the speed of a video, using basic photoshop techniques, or sharing information on social media that is misinformed or out of context adds to this distrust. The New York Times’ Claire Wardle, an expert in online manipulation, responds to a recent phenomenon called ‘deep fakes.’ In a clearly labeled opinion piece produced by The New York Times, she discusses how these advanced digital effects have even triggered fears for national security, and that this “weaponization of context” (Wardle) is not new at all. She explains how manipulation and the spread of false information can be much simpler and doesn’t require AI technology to be pervasive.

“When anything can be fake, it becomes much easier for the guilty to dismiss the truth as fake,” says Wardle. In her opinion, this “liar’s dividend,” is what people should be worried about.

The ethical grey area where multimedia seems to reside is something that journalists need to be aware of going forward. A reporter could easily find themselves not living up to the standards most journalists strive to uphold, and it could become much harder to do your job – as you’re forced to interrogate each piece of media you come across. However, with this digital renaissance, individuals now have the power to identify the faces of neo-Nazis through camera footage or to watch as miles of Arctic Ice melts into the sea, and that might make a difference.

 

References:

 

• Branch, John. “Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek – Multimedia Feature.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 Dec. 2012, www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/index.html#/?part=tunnel-creek.
• Chadwick, Nicole. “Revolutionizing the Newsroom: How Online and Mobile Technologies Have Changed Broadcast Journalism.” Elon Journal Of Undergraduate Research In Communications, vol. 5, no. 1, 2014, pp. 1–3.
• Luz, Sin. “Life without Power in Puerto Rico – and No End in Sight.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/puerto-rico-life-without-power/.
• Saltzis, Konstantinos, and Roger Dickinson. “Inside the Changing Newsroom: Journalists’ Responses to Media Convergence.” Aslib Proceedings, vol. 60, no. 3, 2008, pp. 216–228., doi:10.1108/00012530810879097.
• Wardle, Claire. “This Video May Not Be Real.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Aug. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/opinion/deepfakes-adele-disinformation.html.